To ask for a second opinion - lump behind daughters ear

[Mellowautumn]

Dd11 complained of lump on bone behind ear. Usually lovely Dr was a bit dismissive - doesn't know what it is and has photographed and will moniter size next month. Dr has had a sore throat for over a year - has seen ent consultant who thinks it may be a swallowing problem associated with her dyspraxia. However when I have googled (yes I know) a lump behind ear plus a persistent soar throat can be a sign of cancer. For context dd has asd and can be a drama queen re lumps and bumps in general ie Dr probably thinks she is slightly hypochondriac.

[Mellowautumn]

Ear shot

[Pineapplemilkshake]

It could be a lipoma or a lymph gland - difficult to tell without feeling it. I'd recommend asking for an ultrasound and probably ENT to biopsy (I'm a GP).

[PacificDogwod]

Watchful wait may well be appropriate but as Pineapplemilkshake said none of us here can diagnose her.
Lots of things can be a 'clear sign of cancer', most very non-specific (which is what makes this whole medicine lark so difficult ).
If she is otherwise well, active, eating and drinking, not lethargic etc etc a benign lump at her age is far more likely than anything nasty.
But yes, if is does not resolve or gets bigger or she develops further lumps then an ENT opinion is likely a good idea.

Re chronic sore throat - an Speech and Language assessment might be helpful in assessing how she is using the muscles of her throat and voice box. It may be different where you are, but here SALT are accessed via ENT.

[Kennington]

My friends kid had similar and it affected swallowing and was a swollen salivary gland caused by a slight blockage there, prob an infection.
Treated by drinking more and sour drinks (to get Saliva going) and it went down.
Obviously may not be this at all but it does affect swallowing.

[HairySubject]

Ds has a squishy lump behind his ear it is a cavernous lymphanginoma which is quite harmless, just a fluid filled cyst basically.
However he was refered to a specialist to determine what it was.
I would push for an ent appointment.
Does it feel squishy?

[Mellowautumn]

It is very hard - as hard as the bone and he did say it didn't feel like lymph or sebaceous cyst. I would normally be ok to wait to be honest - but the sore throat has gone on for over a year and it took ages for the ent consult. ENT only suspects a swallowing problem and was going to arrange more investigation - swallowing some dyed milk ? I do appreciate its most probably NOT cancer but when you have a child with health anxiety and you try to play everything down - there is the reverse anxiety that you don't want to miss anything serious by being dismissive and to be honest allowing HCP's to become dismissive, ;)She has also complained of a croaky voice - would a month make a huge difference if it is something more serious ?

[Mellowautumn]

And thanks for the advice :)

[PacificDogwod]

The milky swallow is likely to be a Barium swallow or Video Fluoroscopy - an important and appropriate next text, much information will be gained form that.
'Swallowing' is far more than just getting food stuff down and the muscles needed for that have a very complex and complicated interplay that can go wrong in various ways. SALT is often very helpful there.
None of that would cause a bony feeling lump though.

[Mellowautumn]

Thanks Pasific ;) I will try to find out how long before the next tests - He is trying to arrange specialty SLT - just difficult due to how rural we are and its across country boundaries