Anyone else have experience with visible lymph node in child?

[Pinkie12]

My son is 6 years old. Two months ago he had a cough and cold - nothing major, but I noticed when he tilted his head to the side he had a visible lymph node appear which he’s never had before. Two months on and it’s still there, hasn’t changed size. No other symptoms. His GP wasn’t concerned but I paid privately to have an ultrasound because it was giving me great worry all day everyday. Ultrasound showed benign reactive lymph nodes - funnily the one on his left side measured larger - even though I can only see the prominent lump on the right side. I feel somewhat reassured after the results but upon seeing it again it has spiralled that fear all over again. Just wanted to know if anyone else is or has experienced the same - and to hopefully reassure that not going away is also completely normal?

It's very normal, especially during/after a cold and especially with no other symptoms.

Thank you for taking the time to reply - would you say two months after the cold is still relatively normal? I thought maybe after a week or so it would have gone

They can persist for months or even years, especially in slim children.

Yep.

Especially, as i said, without any other concerns/symptoms.

Hi @Pinkie12 yes its completely normal. My son has had what looked like a big egg on the side of his neck when he had a a nasty infected insect bite on his cheek. That took months to go down and I could always see it when he turned his head. He then got impetigo and both sides of his neck were very swollen to the point that you could see them without him turning his neck. They took a month or two to go down once the infection had cleared but then shot right back up with a double ear infection. This time he had antibiotics and they went back down within a week. Every doctor I have spoken to have not been concerned at all but I remember being very worried the first time.

Yes. My daughters were there for years after repeated unspecified viral infections. They ran every test going and scanned repeatedly. Never an issue and four years later gone completely. In my thirties I then developed the same.

My son's had his on one side visible for almost 2 years. He was seen by ENT for something else and she checked it and said as it was less than 2cm she wasn't concerned 🤷

I really appreciate all the time taken to send your words of reassurance.

As a mother you can’t help but worry when there’s something new on your child. I’ve added a photo if anyone else’s looks the same. Looks pretty big to me but ultrasound showed it was under a cm

Try not to worry OP my son has a visible lymph node behind his ear , see numerous GPs and hospital appointments to be told it’s normal, his appeared after a bout of illness.

I have a visible node in my neck. Goes up
if I’m ever unwell etc. I first noticed it in my 20’s, so not sure if it has always been like that. Ultrasounds etc suggested it was slightly in the wrong place? I hate feeling it when it’s ‘up’ but other than that it never bothers me. Also have one in my leg which can be felt but is apparently fine (noticed this after having child no1) It’s one of those things which will always be worth keeping an eye on. But knowing it’s been checked is reassuring x

Is he vaccinated with MMR? Only time I recall lingering visible lymph nodes was when a child had or was recovering from mumps.

Yes, DS now 21 has had one enlarged node on the side of his neck since he was 12 weeks old! No doctor has ever seemed concerned about it at all.

Thank you @Paquitavariation does it appear the same as the photo I shared?

Has he been unwell since you originally posted or anything else out of the ordinary?

@Kirbert2 hey, thankfully no, and I was feeling quite reassured until a mum today at school pickup said that three months seems quite concerning and it should have gone after a few weeks.

She is wrong.

If it was anything more, he'd have other symptoms by now and be obviously poorly.

Yes same here. I think for my child it kicked off with an allergic reaction at 3 months. Still there years & years later. I was told for a while that all was fine but it always niggled at me. So I pushed for a blood test just to ease my mind.

Ditto with my boy - he's always had enlarged lymph nodes and he has regular blood tests (autoimmune disease which is by the by). When he's unwell, his lymph nodes get bigger and can stay enlarged for a while. Some kids do, my other child doesn't!

Thank you all for taking the time to respond. Sometimes, as a mum, logic and reason go out the window, and a little reassurance really means a lot.

hi Just thought I’d add my daughters had one for two years, scanned and told not to worry! I try not to look at it anymore lol x

@Mrsworried1 really glad you posted. Thank you! I’ll have to do the same.

Also same story here - my DS had them after viruses as a young boy. Stayed inflamed for nearly a year. Got them checked out, all fine, now a strapping teen with no health issues. Try not to worry, it’s a long road of parenting ahead!

I would trust the findings of an ultrasound scan performed by a medical
professional over the opinion of strangers on the internet looking at a photo (or a mum at the school gates). That said, looks very normal.

@NiceCupOfChai both combined provide better reassurance. I think it’s the awareness that lymphoma isn’t always indicated on an ultrasound imaging - with its only true diagnosis provided by a biopsy - that creates a natural worry of “what if” in mums.

Lymphoma does come with symptoms as well so the fact that no symptoms are present is also a big sign that all is very likely fine especially combined with an ultrasound.