Child’s swollen node - very worried

[Mamajustwingingit]

Hi

I’m hoping from some reassurance as I’m terrified. I’ll preface this with saying, I have crippling health anxiety which I’ve been in and out of therapy (and medicated for) for a long time.

My child has seen a GP today due to pain in the armpit, a raised Lymphnode was found with a week of antibiotics prescribed. Mild cold symptoms, tad of ear pain just generally a wee bit run down.

My mind is going to all the catastrophic places and I’m scaring myself sick.

Is there anyone out there with any advice please 😞

Kids get swollen nodes from all kinds of infections and since your kid has had an infection and antibiotics I would say the swollen node is due to this.

Not sinister. You mention you have crippling health anxiety but I think you are catastrophising and it will be fine.

Hi OP, has your child recently had an injection in that arm? My DS (when he was little) was ALWAYS coming up with swollen lymph nodes after an illness / a bump or scrape! He had an injection and came up with an egg sized node in his armpit - this was just his body's reaction in the vaccination. How is she in herself? No petechial rashes / night sweats / not getting better after an illness / no other swollen lymph nodes etc? Those are what would concern me.

Oh your poor son.
No reject jabs, relatively normal in herself just a mild cold last week. No concerning symptoms as mentioned below I don’t think. She has a rash on her back but it’s almost gone, it’s like a non specific heat rash x

There are some good NHS / "Healthier Together" pages on raised lymph nodes in children - they are extremely common, but it's extremely rare to represent something nasty unless a child has other concerning features.

I feel your pain! I’m not tortured by anxiety but I have an overactive imagination.
My son once presented with a markedly swollen neck node - at 6 years old. It stuck out like an egg. My OH works in oncology and was fairly unworried, but the kid’s teacher was very health-anxious. I had to go and retrieve him from A&E! He was fine. Doctor unperturbed.

Swollen glands/nodes are very common with a cold/infection.

OP your child aside, I hope you are getting help for your anxiety as this isn’t healthy.