to ask about lumps and bumps on children..

[Tholeonagain]

Sorry, I know this should be in children's health, but posting here for traffic...

DS, 6, has developed a small bump around his left cheekbone. It doesn't bother him at all but it is scaring me senseless as I have no idea where it has come from. He has had it since Friday, I think. It is around the size of an insect bite but skin coloured not red and not itchy so I don't think it is that. He could have bumped himself but I don't recall an incident and it doesn't really look like a bruise. I am taking him to the GP tomorrow but wondered if anyone had any experience or advice. I get very anxious about the children's health!

Could it be a cyst. I had one come up on my cheek bone as a child. My mum was so worried she took me to drs a d was given antibiotics. Still comes up now sometimes now 30 years later

I disagree - there IS harm in getting him seen. It prevents someone else getting an appointment. If you're going to rush to the doctor every time you see a spot or a lump you are going to be a considerable pain in the arse by the time you children are grown up. Why on earth would it be "scaring you senseless" when it's quite obviously nothing? Sounds like your sense has already got up & left home.

That's cruel Margy, don't be mean. Do you have general health anxiety OP? Chances are he's absolutely fine, but if you are truly worried then do go and see the gp to get him checked over, but then explain your anxiety and ask for help in learning how to judge more accurately when you need to bring him.

argy don't be so horrible, it's dreadful having anxiety about health. I suffer horrendously from health anxiety and when my baby is born I know I'm going to be the same about them.

argy
I have health anxiety. I've always wondered if an approach like yours might help.

Written in black and white, l see it doesn't.

op make an appointment when the surgery isn't so busy. You have a right to be seen, even if it is to help calm your fears.

Why not go to the pharmacy first to see if they can suggest anything or simply observe it yourself to see if it improves or begins to get worse over the next couple of days.
You sound quite anxious. It sounds to me like it is just a little bump or a spot but we strangers on the internet cannot diagnose what the cause is. Maybe talk to the GP about the fact you are very anxious and worry about the children's health so that they can advise you what to do when the next thing comes up which worries you eg. when should you leave something a couple of days to see how it develops, when you should go to the pharmacy, when you should go to the GP and when you should go straight to hospital.

There was no need for Margy to phrase her opinion the way she did. It is, however, very difficult for GPs to see people who really need to be seen if the appointments are taken up by minor things which could be treated at home or at the pharmacy. I think there needs to be more information and education (perhaps even in school) about how to look after your own health, how to treat minor ailments, how to treat a cold and so on.

OP, please try to relax a little. 6 year olds bump themselves all the time and are perfectly fine. Best wishes.

Jeezus margy.

I am super concerned about lumps and bumps after DH was diagnosed with skin cancer and DS (7 months) ended up in isolation in hospital for a week with an unknown infection only seen as weird lumps on his collar bone and chest (DS ok now though).

better to be safe than sorry.

OP - not to say that is what your DS's bump is! Sorry to cause any extra anxiety - hopefully it turns out to be nothing.

margy don't be so ignorant. A persistent lump, especially a hard one, or one with no known cause should be investigated. I don't want to scare the OP but as well as ruling out obvious things the GP needs to eliminate the possibility of a tumour. I'd make an appointment for 2 weeks after the lump appeared, and cancel it if it had gone.

Thanks to all the nice posters! Yes I am anxious, but I haven't taken ds to the gp in six months. It isn't 'quite obviously nothing', I have no idea what it is. I know there are - rare - forms of soft tissue cancer which can present that way. I have googled. Obviously there are other possibilities which doc Google is less likely to guide me too & I guess I am looking for some perspective to help with my fears.

Guide me to.. For all the grammar pedants out there!