Talk me down... swollen lymph node.

[OoodlesofNoodles]

NC as mentioned this to a few people in person. My 4 year old has a swollen lymph node on the back of their neck/base of skull. Confirmed by our GP. Has no other symptoms of illness, GP saw them after an initial phone consultation and checked temperature/ears/throat/amongst other things.

Google tells me that it can be the first sign of lymphoma and it's making me worry. Has anyone else's child had this before? How long shall I wait with it still swollen before going back to the GP? I/my child saw her last Friday when it was first noticed. No improvement or worsening since.

glad your little ones is reducing in size! That’s definitely a good sign.
my daughters is still worrying me, I just can’t understand how something so visible when she turns her head is “normal” 😬
I wish they’d given me a bit more information, other than it’s smaller than 1cm (doesn’t look it in person!) they don’t class it as being anything abnormal.
I might call the GP back just to see what they say, as it’s honestly so worrying whenever she turns her head! Xx

Sorry to jump on this thread but my 17 year old DD also has what I presume is a lymph node (but maybe a cyst?) just behind her earlobe. She noticed it a week ago and it's very visible now I know it's there. We're currently on holiday so can't do anything about it until next week! She won't let me touch it but says it's hard, doesn't hurt & doesn't move! She's not ill but did have a bad cold about a month ago. I will get her to the GP as soon as we're home but I'm worried they'll make us watch & wait (read that guidelines say they won't do anything until been there at least 6 weeks?!). I'm so worried.

As an aside, her older brother had a couple of visible nodes investigated a couple of years ago. His had actually been there a long time before we thought to get checked out (scan showed normal nodes). They're still there and have never changed.

I think the point is that the medical professionals aren't concerned so you don't need to be either.

We had our scan and it is just a reactive node so that's one less thing to worry about, I did forget to ask some questions but the consultant said not to worry and it will go up and down.

@Worridoncemore our GP said with no other symptoms it was very unlikely to be anything to worry about. Obviously my child is younger but I think the same would apply to your daughter. We got referred after 4 weeks of swelling, it was scanned at 7.5 weeks. It had gone down in that time. Definitely get her to the GP so it's checked and a time frame is started for watching it but I wouldn't worry too much without any other symptoms, I know that's hard though! Hopefully the GP will put your mind at ease. Try and enjoy the rest of your holiday.

DD had one age 1. GP said it was soft and moved easily. Was advised to keep an eye. It was fine- she’s now 24.
I now work in primary school and see these in a good proportion of ks1 children. If I’d worked there before, I’d never have worried.

I scan lots of these as part of my work. Been doing it 20 years, never seen a cancerous one. Cancer doesn't tend to present this way in kids, and clinicians are generally very good at knowing if they're reactive just from examining them, scans are usually for reassurance rather than serious concern. I don't feel my kid's necks any more as I dread to imagine what lumps and bumps I'd find! Glad your child was ok OP

Hi my 2.5 year old has a small 1cm lymph node under he’s left armpit it’s been there about 4 months that I know of I noticed it about 2 weeks after he had chicken pox , got him seen by gp today she said she couldn’t feel any anywhere else and that this one was really small. She wasn’t worried as he is healthy , eating well , lots of energy etc, but said she will still refer to peadiatrics to have it checked, has anyone else had this I have read it’s common and can takes months to go back down or never go down x

Most probably reassurance because it is a child. There would be other symptoms I am sure.

Thanks for your reply yes I’m sure they would be too after 4 months x

My child's has still never fully gone down, it's gone down to a point and stopped, but been checked and it's fine. I'm sure chicken pox started it off here as well.

@OoodlesofNoodles thanks for your reply I’m pleased your child’s turned out ok and yes they did say it can take six months and I’ve read a lot that they never go just thought it’s best to get things checked x

My child’s must have been there over six months now and is still there. Scan said it was a normal node so I just try not to prod it or look too much or I’ll worry myself silly x

My son (12) has a lump on the back of his neck too. No other symptoms. It's been there since July, brought him to GP & he's getting an ultrasound on it tomorrow. Had to demand an ultrasound as GP reckons it's nothing but my nerves are shot with worry.

My daughter had one in that exact place years ago, it came up when she had chicken pox and hung around for ages after. It was like a little golf ball. I'm sure it'll go down with time, try not to worry!

Just saw this was an old thread...and that it was started by chicken pox!

@Twirlywoo i hope your sons ultrasound goes well will you let us know how it goes always better to just get it checked out , I’m sure it will be fine if the gp isn’t worried but I’m the same an overthinker ha!
@StickyStones thanks for the reply , so was your child’s in the armpit too? And caused by chicken pox , I’m presuming my boys was caused by the chicken pox as I felt it shortly after he had them even tho they were scabbed he was still smothered in them x

All is well thank God!
Swollen lymph node

Great news! Do you feel relieved? ! Did they say how long they can stay raised? Our result was the same but my DDs is still there! X

@Twirlywoo grest news I’m pleased all turned out ok x

100% relieved! They checked all over his neck & all ok. They passes on his scans to a consultant too & he agreed its a swollen lymph node.
Told it could be there a while & may continue to go up & down.

That’s great news and sounds like it’s been thoroughly checked out x

I’m in the same situation my daughter who’s five has a blood test Monday as hers has been swollen since December after a throat infection she suffers a lot with them are they always big but I’m such a worrier she has a scan but it hasn’t come through yet I’m so scared of this blood test 😫😫

Hi how is everyone’s little ones doing? I commented on here in summer 2024, so it’s been 18 months since! My daughters is still there. I sometimes get worrried about it- for example she’s had a few viral illnesses over winter and it feels like it goes up and down and when it looks big it really ramps up my anxiety!
since she’s had a scan, the GPs are never worried x