4 year old lump side of throat

[Abeth]

Three days ago my four year old daughter was looking up and I noticed a bump sticking out from the side of her throat. It is grape sized, pretty firm, and causes her no pain.
I took her to the doctor and they did xray and bloodwork. The nurse called me tonight and told me the bloodwork was normal, but the doctor wants to see her in a week.
It is hard to read her handwriting, but I can make out two of them CBC and ESR.

Does this mean I have nothing to worry about?

Tonight I noticed pea like bumps on the other side of her throat

[Lorrie62]

Hi,

I know what you are going through, for my daughter had very swollen lymph nodes in her first year of college.  She also had low grade fever and much fatigue.  Does your daughter have a fever?  The surgical oncologist I was going to at the time was so sure she had lymphoma, he asked her to come home from college on a Saturday and he opened the office for us.  He scheduled a biopsy on the following Monday and while he was waiting for the frozen section to come back from pathology, he was still so sure it was lymphoma, that he removed all of her lymph nodes under her arm.  Well, guess what it was - cat scratch fever!  Do you have any cats in your house?

Lorrie62

[SonnyC]

Hi. I'm not an expert. My father had lymphoma, but I know nothing about children.

The things that weigh against lymphoma in your daughter are these:
- it is very rare in children
- the vast majority of people who find bumps do not have lymphoma anyway
- it would be even rarer to see visible changes in a week or so, such as the new bumps. That seems the biggest clue to me.

the more likely causes:
- some infection, or allergy, or insect bite reaction
- sebaceous cyst
- lipoma (fatty benign bump)

if you want to avoid surgery/resection (and avoiding that seems reasonable), then you might ask for a fine needle biopsy instead. Those have a high % of false negatives, but it is much safer... using a needle rather than a scalpel, but you get a much smaller sample.

The odds are that it is some mystery condition that is NOT lymphoma. I'm sorry to hear that you waited so long for responses. the same thing happened to me years ago when I began that journey. I only happened here by chance today. I hope my little bit of knowledge might have given you some comfort.

Do you have a figure for the LDH blood test?
.

[Mahan787]

Can understand the struggle and pain u r facing now.
I wish god surely helps and things will get settled soon.
Be with the hope ray.. God blesses always there with u.

[Abeth]

Well since May 13 we had went back to the specialist. One node measured 12 mm the other 8 mm. He was a little less reasurring this time and said we could do a biopsy. When he told me the risks however since it is so close to her main artery I decided it was time for a second opinion.
Second specialist says he believes it is probably benign, but to come back june 4. so that we will do.

that is the update for now,

[Abeth]

Well the nodes did not shrink and the one seems to have gotten a tad bigger, almost done with the antibiotic and her next appt with the specialist is tomorrow.

[Abeth]

Forgot to add her CBC is showing she is slighly anemic...which her Pediatrician did not tell me.

[Abeth]

I am keeping this updated in case there is another parent or relative up all hours worrying about their child or maybe even their own health googling any and all words that could be related to find anything and anyone with some insight.

The other side of her throat has an enlarged lymph node now..

We went to the specialist today he seems pretty positive it is not lymphoma. His words were something like 'the only way to know for certain is to biopsy, but I don't think it is worth the 2% risk of surgery on the off 1% chance I could be wrong.'

Plus the new ESR came back and it is down to 8..*claps!*

So she is to continue the antibiotic, note: They gave her augmentin, which is pencillan, which she is allergic to, which the pharmacy did not catch either and I had to call and check and get it changed..PARENTS don't trust that the doctor has remembered or looked at the notes or the pharmacy ALWAYS ask when your child is allergic to something. This is the 3RD mistake they have made regarding my children's medicine.

Anyways back to what I was saying, she is to finish the antibiotic, if the node shrinks we don't have to worry about it. If it gets larger or stays the same size by next week the specialist is going to do some new bloodwork.

Patiently awaiting shrinkage of the nodes,
Beth

[Abeth]

thank you Mahan and Mar for your care and responses.

We went to the Pediatrician today who done a TB test, repeat ESR and Mono test. She also ordered an antibiotic in case that might make the limphnode shrink. She also gave me a referal and thankfully I was able to call and get an appt. for tomorrow. Which is good cause I thought it might be weeks. Will keep this thread updated.

[Mahan787]

As Mar49 rightly said, take down the steps ASAP.
God blesses will be there always.

[Mar49]

A CBC is a complete blood count and an ESR measures inflamation in the body. I know how scared you must be. Although it is not unusual for these tests to be repeated, my suggestion would be to take your daughter to a Hemotoligist who specializes in blood disorders. These doc's are Onconogists/Hemotoligist. I would not delay and go direct to the specialist. Anytime there is a bump check it out with the specialist. I have experienced that Internal Med docs don't always see the urgency. As a mother of a sick child it's always urgent. Please keep us informed and God bless you.
Mar49

[Mahan787]

Hi ,
I am not sure what exactly to say. As i am not aware of any such incidances and what is the risk behind all these which are explained by u. Unfortunately most of the questions are unanswered in this community.Even i am a victim in this regard.
So just wanted to fill you with hope. Dont worry, doc knows what exactly going on.and more over if he is repeating the same word all the time just take ur daugtr to another specialist.Only thing i can say is Tumours generally will not get generate over night.
It definately takes months time to show up.So u r on a very safer side.Be with the hope ray.Just see a specialist/oncologist who is good enough to clear all ur doubts and rejoice u back. For sure its nothing fishy.A general illness only.God bless her.

Thanks,
Mahan

[Abeth]

anyone?

[Abeth]

Please I am freaking out. If anyone has any opinions on this or anything helpful to say I would be so very grateful..even if, maybe requests I should make to the pediatrician, tests or a specialist I don't know. Should I wait to see a specialist or anyother diagnostic tests until she does the other esr next week?

my anxiety level is going through the roof.

[Abeth]

I just got a call from the doctor who I thought was going to ease all my concerns, but didn't quite do that. Everything was normal except ESR and she wants to repeat it in a week.
Can a gerneral illness that she has yet to have symptoms of  and a lump in the side of the throat cause and elevated ESR, it was 45.