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Child Has Lump And Swelling On Neck. Swelling Subsided After Taking Antibiotic. Worried For Cancer
Question: My 5 yr old son developed and hard lump and swelling in the left side of neck overnight . It was very painful and he could not move hhis head.
His pediatrican put him on course of antibiotics etc and with that the swelling has subsided and so has the pain and he can move his head. The hard lump is still there but is smaller but not gone .It is about 9 days now since the problem started.
He has no other symptoms . what cd this be. ? His pediatrican told me it is nothing to worry about but i am very concerned about cancers
His pediatrican put him on course of antibiotics etc and with that the swelling has subsided and so has the pain and he can move his head. The hard lump is still there but is smaller but not gone .It is about 9 days now since the problem started.
He has no other symptoms . what cd this be. ? His pediatrican told me it is nothing to worry about but i am very concerned about cancers
Dear XXXXXXX
Thanks for your concerns.
The majority of acute (developing over a short period of time), painful growths in the head and neck in children are benign (not cancerous) in nature; by the description of the symptoms and the response to antibiotics, this was likely a consquence of a benign infection. The "lump" likely corresponds to an inflammed lymph node, which are little stations of the immune system that help create cells to fight the infection. It usually takes several days or weeks for this so called "glands" to return to their original size.
Hope this helps with your query, wish you and your son the best health,
Dr Brenes-Salazar MD
Mayo Clinic Rochester
Thanks for your concerns.
The majority of acute (developing over a short period of time), painful growths in the head and neck in children are benign (not cancerous) in nature; by the description of the symptoms and the response to antibiotics, this was likely a consquence of a benign infection. The "lump" likely corresponds to an inflammed lymph node, which are little stations of the immune system that help create cells to fight the infection. It usually takes several days or weeks for this so called "glands" to return to their original size.
Hope this helps with your query, wish you and your son the best health,
Dr Brenes-Salazar MD
Mayo Clinic Rochester
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