jmg1964- help!!

[Jimjams]

Since you outed yourself a while ago I thought I would ask for some advice. Having a paranoid mother moment.

DS2 is 2 in a couple of weeks. He has a bony lump (exostoses??) towards the end of a rib nea where it meets the sternum (don't know the number but one of the lowee ones that attaches to the sternum- probably the bottom one that attaches iyswim). He's had for quite a while- at least 6 months I would say, its grown a bit, but not hugely and is stayin proportion iyswim.

I did see my GP about it a while ago. He didn't seem worried, but he was talking a lot about pigeon chests (his chest is bit pigeon shaped but not hugely), so I'm not sure he felt it (although I wouldnt have thought you could miss it and you can see it as well iyswim). My GP is good, I trust him and I would be happy to go back to him, but would rather wait just to mention it next time we have to see him if its unlikely to be anything serious.

I've had a browse on the internet and couldn't find anything nasty (obviously I'm being paranoid and thinking lump=cancer!!) that it was likely to be. It sounded like an exostoses- and I think I remember reading about it being a result of one end of the bone gorwing too quickly or something. I'm not worried if he's going to be a bit of a funny shape (and I would assume it would be less obvious anyway as he gets older) but is there anything I should be worrying about, or rushing back to the GP about. I'm sure he must have felt the right place because he started asking whether anyone else in the family had funny shaped bones (only my dad but he was vitamin D deficient! ) Just my paranoid brain working overtime.....

DS2 has this too! I have to confess I've never asked my GP about it as it has always been there and in proportion. Maybe I should get round to making that appointment...

well in a strange way that makes me feel better soupy (it is soupy isn't it) I'm terrible I ignore it for months then I spend a night worrying about it (inbetween worrying about the house falling down- at 12.30 last night ds2 had woken with a temp and I had discovered water running down the walls- leaky roof - so decided to worry about ds2's rib). Mopped up, ripped off wallpaper, patched up leak, ds2 and his lumpy rib wen to sleep at 2am, ds1 woke up at 3am. Happy New Year! I should be tiredJimjams

oh that should read worried about ds2 and his lumpy rib, I didn't patch him up as well!

Shame - I was going to ask you to patch my DS2 up as well

I feel awful that I've let this go for so long without doing anything. He seems so healthy in every other way and his chest shape looks fine (ie large, just like DHs!) that I've just let it go. I'll make it my NT resolution to sort it out.

(and yes, it is Soupy I'm having problems relinquishing my Christmas name)

don't feel awful. I let it go until someone else said "what's this funny lump" until then I had been assuming it was nothing. As far as I can tell, one little lump on a rib isn't really a problem. Lots of lumps or extra bits of bone in places like the knee can be a problem.

Wish I could patch them both up Would beat just worrying

Hi Jimjams
Sorry not to have replied before - been down at my Mum's, trying to look after her (she's just had a hip replacement) as well as dh and the children - an impossible task really!
DON'T WORRY!! We see quite a lot of children with these sorts of things, although I have never thought of them as particularly familial. There is a possiblility that the lump may disappear over time, I know some do, but don't know any way of finding out which. Doesn't sound at all malignant, so I would say only bother going to the GP with it if it actually seems to be growing more quickly than the rest of him, or is bothering him in any way. More superficial lumps like sebaceous cysts, can get infected, for instance.
You've rpobably found something else to worry about by now anyway!
I only discovered a couple of hours ago that dd1 and ds1 go back to school tomorrow - I thought it was Tuesday - so packed lunches and school uniforms here I come!

thanks jmb- nice to have a doc ressure me. Actually went to the GP's this morning as I have woken up with mastitis! Didn't mention the lump as I didn't have ds2 wth me. I think my paranoid moment is over. You know what its like middle of the night paranoid moment

Thanks again- and hope your mum is feeling a bit better. I do thank god my mum is only 50 odd, I think I'd struggle with an elderly mum as well.