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Original poster

DS2 has a lump in his neck, worried.

20 replies

slightlycrumpled · 14/03/2012 13:17

DS2 (8) has had a small lump in his neck for a couple of weeks. He has lots of health problems anyway, due to a chromosome abnormality, so I just put it down to a swollen gland and expected the cough/ cold etc to follow.
I looked again last night and it had grown (about 4-5mm) so we hotfooted it to the GP this morning. We saw a locum who said that it is just on the cusp of being a size to worry about, to go away for a couple of weeks and come back if the same or bigger. He said it is definitely a lymph node that is swollen.

All of that is ok (kind of) except that he had never heard of his medical condition anyway and was unable to fully access his records as they are having them updated. He also didn't really examine him except for his ears, which he said are a mess, but then they always are. He wears hearing aids and has permavents fitted.

Does anyone have any experience of this please?

Thanks for reading. Smile

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The5thFishy · 14/03/2012 13:22

Get a second opinion. Never trust a locum.

zippy539 · 14/03/2012 13:24

Yes - I wouldn't hang about with this one. Can you get an appointment with a GP who knows your DS - explain the problem to the receptionist if necessary. Good luck.

lifesalongsong · 14/03/2012 13:28

You're obvioulsy worried, I wouldn't want to leave it for a couple of weeks, that doesn't sound right.

Do you have a hospital consultant you could talk to? If not I'd try and make an appointment with the GP who knows most about your son's condition.

Original poster
slightlycrumpled · 14/03/2012 13:30

Thank you. I will call later and try to speak to one of the doctors that knows DS2, and see if we can't go back down in the morning.

The rational part of my mind is telling me that all is probably fine, but that part of my mind is really, really tiny nowadays!

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Original poster
slightlycrumpled · 14/03/2012 13:34

I'm kicking myself for not insisting on seeing the regular GP now, but they are all usually so great with us that I trusted that the locum would be too....

The thing is, if all it is is a blood test to start with, well thats all very straightforward really isn't it? He has bloods done fairly often anyway and it certainly wouldn't worry him.

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paddyclamp · 14/03/2012 14:17

I've had this with my DS (8) twice! One was like a big pea and the other almost like a malteser.

We got referred to paeds twice and they weren't worried. Did bloods and they came back all clear!

They asked me if he had other problems eg night sweats, weight loss which he didn't have.

Some kids just have lumpy glands! For your own peace of mind though I would go back and get him to either refer you or do bloods!

Original poster
slightlycrumpled · 14/03/2012 15:15

Thanks paddy, did he get referred straight away or did they do a wait & see thing?
He is under a consultant paediatrician anyway so I think I might give her a call if no joy with seeing our regular GP.

He is ok ish in himself but Is very tired at the moment.

Thanks again.

OP posts:
CuriousMama · 14/03/2012 15:24

Pah! I posted then internet went off.

I'm gad you're going to see the paediatrician and not listening to the locum. And I'd complain when you find out what's caused it.

Ds1 used to get them, big ones. Once had one in his neck for a while and after anti bs it went. Had another in his groin from big toe infection caused by paddling in dirty water.

Hope your ds will be ok?

paddyclamp · 14/03/2012 17:02

For the big one they referred us to childrens ENT immediately "just to dot all the i's and cross all the t's" as they put it....the 2nd one the GP said wait and see but i just said that i would just go away and worry...so he said fair enough, i'll refer you!

At the hosp the paediatrician said these lumps are very common! Where abouts in his neck is it?

Lulumama · 14/03/2012 17:04

DS got referred for a lump in his neck that initially the GP thought was thyroglossal cyst, but turned out to be a slightly swollen lymph node in an unusual place. so all was well. we had been referred for a scan which we had a couple of weeks after the initial appt which confirmed it was a lymph node

I would go back and ask for a referral to ensure it is simply a node , and nothing to worry about

Original poster
slightlycrumpled · 14/03/2012 17:39

Thankyou, it's reassuring to read that your children had these lumps that didn't turn out to be anything terribly sinister.

What is frustrating is that he is already under an immunologist, peadiatrician & ENT to name a few so it should be straightforward to get him seen - you'd think!

Have called & gp will see him again tomorrow & this one knows him & I well enough I think that I can just say that I am going mad with worry.

The thing is, his syndrome occurs about 1:4000 & it has altered my mindset. I no longer feel that bad things happen to other people - I almost only expect the worst. Will get a grip though! Smile

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Original poster
slightlycrumpled · 14/03/2012 17:41

paddy it's towards the back of his neck about half way down. The doc today did say it was def a lymph node,

OP posts:
FluffyWuffyCuntyKins · 14/03/2012 17:52

Ds developed a lump in his neck in the same place that you have described when he was one. The gp checked it and said it was a lymph node and to keep an eye on it. When he was 3 he contracted a disease which required his glands to be scanned and the doctor confirmed that the lump was innocent and is just the way his gland 'sits'. Ds is 5 now and still has this lump. It's grown but only relatively to his size.

Good luck and fingers crossed your ds' is just as innocent, although I do understand the feeling of panic that comes from finding a lump on your child.

paddyclamp · 14/03/2012 20:42

That sounds reassuring as that's where DS's smaller one was...the paediatrician told me that ones to be concerned about are just above the clavicle...but obviously not all lumps there are a problem!

DS has tiny glands i can feel in other places too, but the doc said they were just shotty glands which are innocent :)

Original poster
slightlycrumpled · 14/03/2012 20:55

Yes, I have had a good feel around his glandular areas when he got out of the bath tonight Blush! He thinks I am quite mad. I can feel his glands in his groin but they are not swollen like the one in his neck. Under arms fine too.
Feel much calmer this evening, will get him looked at again though just to put my mind at rest.

Thank you all for reassuring me today. Smile

OP posts:
tanfastic · 14/03/2012 21:02

There's another thread about this on here today where I've replied as my ds has two in his neck who was also referred.

CuriousMama · 15/03/2012 20:34

Keep us updated, hope he's ok.

Original poster
slightlycrumpled · 16/03/2012 10:22

Hi, just to update, we have seen our regular, lovely, GP today who has told me not to worry about it for another second. She said he actually has several glands up and that for him they probably stay that way for the majority of the winter. She was also able to access his full medical file today and saw that his recent blood tests, (he has them as part of his ongoing medical care) didn't show anything more unusual than before. So I am happy with that.

We did come out with meds for ear and chest infection though. I knew he wasn't right!

OP posts:
Lulumama · 16/03/2012 13:39

what a relief and hopefully he'll be back to full health asap x

CuriousMama · 16/03/2012 19:56

Thanks for the update, hope he's well as he can be soon.

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