Small lump on back of DD (22 months) head - panicking.

[FuntimeFuschia]

Hello,

This evening I found a small (smaller than a pea) lump on the back of DD's head, sort of base of the skull, behind her left ear. I can move it around a bit, and it didn't seem to bother her at all, couldn't find any others. She's in fine health, is very rarely ill and hasn't had a cold or anything recently. I cannot say this is a new lump as I don't regularly feel her head - but DH washed her hair day before yesterday and didn't mention it - he's at work at the moment so am freaking out alone - it feels almost oval in shape, lying horizontal.

Have been silly and googled and from what I can gather it's most likely a lymph node, and probably nothing to worry about, and will be ringing GP first thing, but please please if anyone can offer a paranoid wreck some reassurance/similar experience I would be very grateful. I have a background in care work, and am very practical and sensible when it comes to my own health but have become a gibbering wreck at the thought of anything being seriously wrong with my little girl.

Also, feel free to offer me a virtual smack round the face and shaking of shoulders, I probably need it!

Ok - and this is from someone who reacts in the same way as you have - try to take a deep breath and not panic.

my son, when he was around 5 months i think, had a little pea sized lump which sounds similar to your daughters.

i asked the nurse about it when he was having his jabs. she was utterly unconcerned and said is was very likely to be a harmless cyst. she was right as it's gone (think it took a few weeks/months - can't remember).

so don't worry. the chances are this is exactly the same (and its very common). do go to your GP on monday though just so you get a medical opinion but these sort of lumps are very common, i'm lead to believe.

deep breath. large glass of wine. feet up and watch some crappy TV. don't worry!

sorry i meant ring GP (DH as day off tomorrow so it feels like a friday night to me now!)

ok, third time lucky, ring GP tomorrow.

Thank you for responding, I really am pathetic about this kind of thing!

I will be ringing GP first thing, they are usually very good at same day appointments so hopefully I can get her seen and be told its nothing to worry about...fingers crossed.

I think wine is a VERY good idea.

It sounds like her lymph nodes. Has she had a cold/been ill recently?

They swell up occasionally if a child has been under the weather or had any vaccinations.

My DD2 had a lump where you describe, at about 13 months. It was really hard and about the size of a pea. I panicked because my FIL had a lump in his neck due to cancer (he's fine now) so I took her to the Dr. He said it was her lymph nodes that were enlarged because of her MMR. They've gone down now.

Sorry, I see that she hasn't been ill recently. It still sounds like her lymph node though because I think they change in size from time to time.

When I feel at the back of my head sometimes the lumps are bigger than usual and then sometimes there's nothing at all.

Please don't panic :)

I would go to the GP just for peace of mind. It may well be that she's starting with a cold/bug so they're a bit enlarged.

There has been a nasty cold bug going round these here parts, so hopefully that's whats caused it. Not that I want her to have a cold...but snot I can deal with!

Lump isn't very hard though - but location wise it certainly sounds like lymph node. Urgh, not much I can do till tomorrow anyway. I'm on my own this evening but to be honest if DH was here he'd probably insist on calling an ambulance...

Has she got one on the other side?

No, I had a rummage and couldn't find anything similar anywhere else on her head.

DS2 has one that sounds exactly like this. He's always had it and no-one seemed woried about it at all. Im not even sure that it's still there. I'll go and check.

Cyst-y type things are quite common, so don't worry. But do get it checked out because obviously you won't be happy until you do.

I found one of these in around the same position on my ds's head a few months ago and clearly completely freaked out. Dr confirmed that it was a lymph node and had he been a little under the weather recently, which he had about a week earlier. hth

I have a similar sounding lump - and have had ever since I had an ear infection in my mastoid gland/bone
Definitely worth a trip to docs to check it out, but I would imagine it is harmless

Thank you all for responding, I am feeling much calmer. Will be ringing GP in the morning, I will be quite happy to be condescended to as a paranoid parent!

Dd2 had this too, she wasn't ill at all. However when she did fall ill a few weeks later the GP sent us straight to a&e and they said all her nodes were swollen, after tests and stay in hospital it turned out to be a very nasty virus but took months to go down. Hth

My ds has had one since he was two after two bouts of hand foot and mouth. His is as large as a kidney bean on the side of his neck. It really protrudes when he looks a certain way. He's nearly five now and it's still there. We were referred to a consultant to rule out cancer and that's exactly what they did and completely put my mind at rest.

I wouldn't worry op, consultant told me it's really common. Search the mumsnet archives and you'll see. I've seen so many threads like this over the past couple of years.

I think these glands come up when they are fighting off infection, so although your Dd is well, it's probably because her body is working efficiently at fighting off the germs that may be around.