I wouldn't worry. I had a similar experience just over a year ago. I'd had a bunch of minor illnesses, and a major one, and had become a little 'jumpy' about my health. I noticed a swollen gland in my neck that was painful and wasn't going down. I talked to my doctor, and I too received blood tests to try to pinpoint the cause. Everything was normal, and the gland eventually went back to normal size. It swells slightly in winter, whether I have a cold or not, and my Dr. thinks it may be an irritation, or an immune reaction to a virus.
Dear Mr. and Mrs. Macfarlane-
Thank you for your question.
It can be very upsetting as a parent to follow your child's swollen glands. But I can assure you that in most cases, swollen glands represent a normal, healthy body response to either infection or inflammation. Lypmh glands (or nodes) are the body's filter system which become enlarged when there is any kind of an insult - like a cold or other illness, or, an insect bite or other local irritation. We call these nodes "reactive nodes" - and often end up following them for months. We watch them get smaller, and then sometimes get bigger.
As long as your child is healthy - and his blood work is normal - then, probably these nodes do represent a normal response. I would suggest a screen for tuberculosis - just to rule that out - and maybe, repeat bloodwork if it has been months since last done. Ultimately, your child's doctor who has the best perspective, medically speaking, since he/she sees your child physically over time. Perhaps - if you feel strongly, a second opinion from another Pediatrician, or even from a Pediatric surgeon, would reassure you that all is really well.
Again, most swollen lymph nodes/glands do represent a normal process and reflect a normal functioning immune system.
Hope this helps -- Dr. EV