Golf ball sized swelling on aide of age 2 ds's neck

[diege]

Feeling worried. Ds (age 2) woke up today with a large swelling on right hand side of neck. He does seem to say it's a little sore (as much as a 2 year old can ever articulate anything!) but otherwise not at all bothered by it and well in himself. It's not hard and doesn't seem to have defined boundaries, but does seem golf-ball shaped and looks quite dramatic.
Dh is taking him to a&e to get it checked out (we have 6 dcs including a 7mth old so can't both go).
Just wondering if anyone else has had experience of this? I have of course gone down the google route and alternate between being reassured (infected lymph node) and panicked (more than 2cm so may indicate something more sinister)

Dd once had this it was huge!!! It did go away very quickly - within 24 hours it was much much better.

I had this on account of some coldy virus recently. I also felt quite unwell though. I'm sure it is just the lymph node reacting to a virus of some sort.

Don't google!

My DS had a neck Swelling a few weeks ago, I took him to the docs but they were not worried and it's gone now.

Take him to a and e but don't panic if ou can help it.

My son had this a few times.

Lymph nodes were 'up' due to recent infectious type illness, I was worried at first but it was fine.

He got it on one side or both.

It's probably a swollen gland if he's coming down with something and his wee body is trying to fight it off, your doing the right thing by checked out.

Quite a lot of people got this form of cold/flu/throat bug last winter. I guess different viruses come to the fore different years. The marvels of evolution!

Dd1 had something like this when she was 2. We took her to the gp who sent us direct to the children's ward at the hospital who put her onto antibiotics through a drip. Most children respond well to antibiotics and it goes within a few days but dd's got bigger so the did a minor operation on it to drain the fluid. She was absolutely fine.

I would maybe see the ooh doctor, to get it checked out, antibiotic will prob sort it out.

Thank you so much for all the quick responses! I think it's the sheer size of the thing that's worrying me so much - it makes his neck look really distorted. Ds 3 (7mths) was at the drs yesterday with a persistent cough and the dr diagnosed a viral infection so I'm thinking (hoping I suppose) that he may be reacting to that possibly . Hopefully we can get some answers or at least reassurance today. Will update this evening when we hopefully know more xx

Back from a&e. Dr thinks all is fine - suspects a viral infection and expects it to go down in the next week or so. If not, or it gets worse, we're to go to the GP so hoping it's a dramatic looking but harmless enlarged lymph node.

Ds1 used to get a matching pair of golf balls on each side every time he got ill as a toddler. It is worrying at first but I became accustomed to it after the first few time.
Glad they weren't worried. I'm sure it will go away as quickly as it came.

Thanks . I'm a little concerned that the 'golf ball' is still there 4 days later, no smaller. Does anybody know from experience how long a swollen lymph node can stay swollen for?

Well the doctor said a week or so. Mine was longer than 4 days I think.

You could make an appt at the docs then cancel if he gets better in a day or two.

Thanks. It's no bigger at least, so will keep an eye and get an appointment with the gp if it doesn't seem to be reducing in the next week or so. Dh took ds to A&E and didn't ask when we should expect it to resolve

How is he now?

It's much better, definitely on the way down now. Very relieved. Thanks for asking I spoke to a friend who is a GP and she says they expect them to go down within 3 weeks, but for some children a little longer. Also that he may get the same again, on the same side, with future viruses. Just thought I'd add if anyone else has similar and comes across this thread!

Glad it's going down and that you're feeling relieved. It is quite alarming seeing one side of you neck get so massive!