Please Dr. Hive...WWYD?

[Pamela H in Texas]

DS is 15.

 

About 10 minutes ago, we noticed "something" on ds's upper back/lower neck.

 

It kinda looks like maybe a fat deposit? Or really bad posture?

 

But ds has AWESOME posture though he's a bit overweight. People comment on it ALL THE TIME, including just last week!

 

And it's hard, not squishy.

 

Okay, I don't know. It's something VERY new. What could just show up like that? And should we be worried? I guess *I* am worried because of location. And of course, I'm one of those people who tend to think wildly bad (and his half sister and uncle have/had brain tumors). And we waited too long with my daughter for what turned out to be a very serious illness and could have killed her at any point by the time we got her to the right place for the right dx.

 

So part of me says wait til morning and see. The other part of me says that because of where it is, morning may be a problem.

 

What says the hive?

[Perry]

How big is it? Does it hurt? Where is it exactly? Any recent illnesses?

[Pamela H in Texas]

It's probably 3 by 3 ish (maybe slightly longer than wide) and I can't really figure amount off his regular body since it's rounded so thinner at edges and thicker in middle -- maybe an inch?

 

It doesn't hurt though he does have some neck and back pain (more than most) at times. We thought that was related to bad genes (joint issues and back issues are generational).

 

It's RIGHT at the top of the back, base of the neck. Right in the middle.

 

No illnesses (a little more brattiness. LOL).

[Mommyof4ks]

Personally if you feel something is wrong I would take him in now. IDK how close you are to Cooks, but they are an awesome hospital. I firmly believe that we have mommy radar that tells us when something is not right. My son is alive today because of that.

 

I wonder if it is a clogged oil gland/duct (sorry don't remember the term). I have one on my back slightly to the side of my neck on my back. It is a raised, hard spot that does not hurt but is uncomfortable to mess with. It is flesh colored, not red or anything. I was told it is common and I should have it drained after my baby was born (that was 5 years ago, oops), but it would not cause any issues. Hopefully it is something simple like that, but then of course the 'mom of a cancer survivor' in me tends to over react a bit these days with those types of things.

[Pamela H in Texas]

Thanks dw. it was my mommy radar that saved my daughter's life too. So that is kinda what gets me. But lightening "doesn't strike twice" (the saying, not the science), right?

 

BTW, we're in Richmond, VA right now. I wish we were in Dallas. Children's was wonderful for us.

 

I *think* we've decided to go to bed and see in the morning. Of course, if any of us change our minds....

 

And it's probably minor. We're thinking Buffalo Hump which has a few causes like being overweight (so that seems pretty likely) or Cushings or whatever. But these are things most likely to be dealt with in the morning regardless.

Edited June 7, 2010 by 2J5M9K

[Tap]

My PT told me that people who slouch can get a fat deposite on the top of the spine between the shoulders. It is a protective layer around the vertebrae.

 

Any chance that fits.....

 

When ds was younger we used to say he had a Nintendo Hunch. His swim coach took care of it. LOL

[Pamela H in Texas]

thanks TTT. My son has impeccable posture. It's nothing we've worked on, just how he holds himself. Like I mentioned in the first post, it's something regularly commented upon by others. I think just because he seems like such a man though he's got a baby look about him (that seems to be disappearing though!).

 

Anyway, it was a horrible night's sleep. Maybe we can figure out what is happening.

 

I think what bugs me most is that it seemed to pop up "overnight." I know he didn't have it when a new friend commented about his posture last week. I know he didn't have it Thurs when we were all working out at the gym. His sister swears it wasn't there Saturday. The fact that how I noticed it seemed so dramatic, I would guess it wasn't there earlier yesterday even.

 

But I'm a worrier by nature (and life experience) and tend to get worked up. That has been fed into by too many really bad realities. But I *try* to remember that USUALLY things are just minor, sometimes nothing at all.

 

Now we have to work out how to do this as his insurance won't pay anything except emergency here and we won't qualify for any aid or anything else here. And of course, I wasn't expecting this so don't have two dimes to rub together. Grrr.

[Denisemomof4]

please let us know what you find out. I've never heard of such a thing myself.

[lollie010]

You should definitely take your son in if you are concerned. I called our trusted family doctor bright and early one morning with the EXACT same situation. I was worried to death and the thing had popped up over night. My dh was so worried he took a day off of work to go with us.

 

The receptionist could tell how worried we were and told us to bring him in right away. The doctor looked at it, felt it, and immediately gave us a name for it. It was completely benign, just one of those things that happen. That was about a year ago and we don't notice it at all anymore. I asked the doctor if it was one of those things that we should watch and bring him back for and he said nope. It was very common and absolutely nothing to worry about.

 

I would still take your son in so that if he has the same thing my son had you will have the peace of mind that we have now. If I did not love and trust this doctor completely I might have wanted to go to a specialist or something we were so worried. Oh and I just remembered to add to our concern our son had lost a little weight at that time. So I was even more nervous, the doc said that may be why we noticed it all of a sudden. I remember thinking this feels like a tumor.

[Tap]

Have you considered sebaceous cyst