# Enlarged Lymph Node.



## Marshmallow (Jan 7, 2013)

I am scheduling an appointment for my son to be seen, but in the mean time I thought I would ask if anyone has any experience with a persistently enlarged neck lymph node.

I noticed it nearly 3 months ago. My 3 year old has an M&M, less than 2 centimeter, size lymph node on the side of his neck. It moves around beneath my finger when I touch it and feels kind of rubbery. It's been there for nearly 3 months now, and I have bothered it every day since, hoping it would go down (I might be the reason it's sticking around..). He hasn't been sick for a very long time. He does get occasional cat scratches and had a lot of bug bites before I noticed the lymph node.

I honestly don't know if it's always been enlarged because I only noticed it when I had my hand on his neck one night.

He's active, has a healthy appetite, and has even gained a pound recently.

Any experience? It freaks me out and has caused a lot of worry.


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## fisherfamily (Dec 29, 2013)

Our chiropractor said that the lymph nodes are in a chain from the back of the head down the neck, and also down the side of the throat. You can.feel them from behind the ear, and at the jaw joint, straight down. She said they often get enlarged, but the only way for them to clear is with muscle contraction or massage. For dd, who has several large ones, she said to keep massaging in a circular pattern moving down the neck to encourage them to drain.


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## Red Pajama (Jun 11, 2007)

Once a lymph node is enlarged, it takes a long while for it to go back down, at least in my experience. My daughter picked up a tick at the back of her neck near the hairline last spring. I noticed it within an hour or two, but it had attached. The lymph node near the bite was enlarged for months. Doc said it was OK.

Husband has had similar experiences with lymph nodes on the back of his neck.


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## Marshmallow (Jan 7, 2013)

Do you guys know the size of the lymph nodes that are/were enlarged?


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## katelove (Apr 28, 2009)

My 3yo so had one persistently enlarged lymph node on her neck. We had it ultrasounded - normal. Then it just disappeared a few weeks later.

I think, as PPs have mentioned, they often do take a long while to go down. Also kids mostly get upper resp infections so those are the nodes always being stimulated and, because they are quite shallow on the neck, it's easy for us to see them.

I would always suggest getting it checked out but in an otherwise well child, it's likely to be fine.


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## fisherfamily (Dec 29, 2013)

Dd has one a little smaller than a marble, and several others the size of pony beads. She has been (we all have) sick over and over lately, though.


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## Red Pajama (Jun 11, 2007)

Daughter's was about the size of a pea. Husband's was large enough to be noticed and worry him, but was smaller than that.


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## fisherfamily (Dec 29, 2013)

Quote:


> Originally Posted by *FisherFamily*
> 
> Dd has one a little smaller than a marble, and several others the size of pony beads. She has been (we all have) sick over and over lately, though.


You know, maybe marble is too big. bigger than an m and m, smaller than a marble. I dunno. Really noticeable for sure. I was pretty thankful that the chiropractor had already told me about them, because I think I might have freaked out.


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## Marshmallow (Jan 7, 2013)

I might try to massage his neck and see if it helps.

I am waiting for his insurance to clear before making an appointment. It's driving me mad with worry though.


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## Marshmallow (Jan 7, 2013)

I got him an appointment for next Saturday. He's come down with a cold and the enlarged lymph node is now bigger, and some others have become swollen too! :-( It seems to be directly related to the cold, but I still want them checked out.. They feel weird to me and it's making me worried, along with Google!!


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## fisherfamily (Dec 29, 2013)

Im sorry I forgot to come back to this thread! My dd actually had a check up shortly after I posted before. Her doctor was totally unconcerned and even said that sometimes they get really big and dont ever go down! He said children especially often have swollen ones for a long time because their immune systems are new are they are always fighting something.

If it is painful for the child, visibly red, or the skin over it is tight, that's when its time.to check with a doctor (he said).


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## Marshmallow (Jan 7, 2013)

Thanks.  I had to reschedule his appointment, and it's tomorrow. I'm still getting worked up about it, but crossing my fingers he gets the all is OK tomorrow.


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## Marshmallow (Jan 7, 2013)

He had is check up and the Doctor felt it and said it's not big at all and he's not even the slightest worried about it! He said you can feel some more than others depending on if they're under or over the muscle!


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