Lump behind ear

[wobblymum1]

Just looking for reassurance for my health anxiety ☹️
DD6 has had I think a virus for a week-
started with a high temp, sore throat and no other symptoms, was ok in herself but wanted to rest more and eat less which I know is normal with a temp.
Temp is now nearly normal and she’s her old wild self again. Last two days she’s had horrid green catarrh coming out her nose and
a chesty cough.
I noticed yesterday brushing her hair she has a little lump behind her ear - imagine half way up your ear on the skin behind. It’s a hit bigger than pea sized and hard. Is this likely to be a lymph node? Just seems an odd place to have a lump pop up. And being me, I’m panicking ☹️

I'm not a doctor
but as she's clearly been unwell I would totally expect it to be a lymph node
I have definitely had lumps in the exact place you describe - just checked and nothing there now
it sounds like she is in the snotty post virus phase. She'll likely be fine in a couple of days, I'd probably call the gp for reassurance if lump still there in a week.
Depends on the gp but with ours you can get a callback relatively quickly without going in, could be useful in this kind of scenario.

I get swollen lymph nodes when I've had a bad virus/infection. It's almost like a spot, behind my ear in the same place you describe.
For reassurance I would take your DD to GP, but in my experience when associated with a virus it is likely a immune response.

Thank you so much xx

@wobblymum1 my DD had the exact same issue on christmas day (of all days!). She had had a cold / it was still rumbling on and she said "the lump behind my ear hurts)! Turns out it was just a lymph node (they run in chains down your ears / neck / arm pits etc) and children can show a marked response to illness by having enlarged lymph nodes. It should go down within next couple weeks - if it gets bigger / others start to swell / she seems worse in herself, speak with the GP

Thank you so so much. This is really helpful xx

Try not to worry though (easier said than done, I know!) but it likely is just due to the virus she's had. Hope she's feeling better x

She’s feeling better but throat still sore on and off and a cough. She’s playing as normal though.
lump is down 😊😊😊
but been replaced by a petichaie spot below it on her neck☹️Which worries me as I know it can be a
sign of something worrying. It’s a
small purple spot that doesn’t Blanche when pressed. She doesn’t have any other ones.
please tell me I’m being stupidly
overanxious and it’s fine?!

My son has this a few months ago after a virus, it was sore to the touch for a while. Just after it went, a GP friend said they are very cautious around those as it can lead to this: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/mastoiditis/

if it happened again I would try and get seen by the GP or call 111 but in our case it went as he got better and he’s had no issues since.

Thank you so much for making me aware of this x

I’ve had mastoiditis and it was a pea-sized hard lump protruding from the bone behind the ear. I had no ear infection and no pain. It sounds very similar so I would get it looked at tbh.

thank you so much, Would it explain the petichaie spot near it? Or is that something different do you think?

She woke early this morning burning up with a very sore red throat ☹️Off to gp this morning x

It’s me, again 🤦‍♀️🤦‍♀️
talk me down?!

lymph node went down but it’s back up and bigger. She was diagnosed with strep A
and scarlet fever over weekend and is much happier and well 4 days into antibiotics course. i noticed tonight same mode is up again and bigger ☹️☹️I’d have thought it would have stayed down? She had bloods taken over weekend which all were fine except conforming she has an infection which I know.
when do I need to worry about this lymph node not going away / coming back and being bigger?
☹️

Hi @wobblymum1, it's probably been reactivated because of her new bugs. My DC have predominent ones that flare up more than others when they are ill. See if it goes down again within next week or so, otherwise go back to GP xx