Apparently swollen lymph nodes in 14yodd, with no other symptoms

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Last week, while I was massaging my 14yo dd's shoulders, I found a kidney bean sized lump under her skin, just above her right collar bone.  It moves slightly when manipulated, and doesn't hurt at all.

Today, she found another one, about the same size, just behind her right ear.  This one hurts when pressed, and doesn't seem to move at all.

I believe these are swollen lymph nodes, but she has no other signs of infection.  She hasn't been sick at all.  We have been traveling within the US, but didn't really spend time outside (she has no insect bites).  She did eat sushi last week, but didn't have any problems with it.  She hasn't eaten any other uncooked or undercooked meat.  We read the relevant pages on the MayoClinic website, and none of the triggers listed seem relevant to her.  Of course, they list lymphoma and leukemia, and other scary things as possible causes, especially if no other infection is apparent.

She is using a warm compress, to see if she can get the swelling to go down. We'll use ibuprofen if it gets painful. Is there anything else we should do?  Should I take her in to our doctor?

[EmseB]

My son had something like that, it was a pilomatricoma cyst, benign, something to do with a hair follicle. The ped kept trying to tell me it was a lymph node but it kept growing so I insisted on a referral. The surgeon diagnosed it, said we could leave it, but it would continue to grow, so he haf it removed. The surgery was easy peasy.

[J-rap]

We seem to have long-lasting swollen lymph nodes in our family.  My dh does, and a couple of my dd's do too.  So, my dd might have had a bug bite 4 months ago, for example, and still have swollen lymph nodes today as a result.  

If you're really nervous about it, of course you can see a doctor.  If it were me and knowing our family, I'd probably wait a month.

[sassenach]

Any scrapes on that side? DS had a very swollen lymph node in his groin that had me googling, but I totally missed that he had a big scrape on that leg (the dr pointed that out).

[lovinmyboys]

I don’t know what the age cutoff is, but I was told with ds10 that it is very common for kids to have swollen lymph nodes and is not something to worry about. In adults it is more worrisome. 

This is anecdotal and I am not a medical professional, but the kids I have known with leukemia were very sick before they were diagnosed. If she isn’t sick, I wouldn’t take her in, but of course if you are concerned it wouldn’t hurt.

[Ali in OR]

If it's tender, that's typically a node fighting infection. I would try not to worry but check it again in a couple of weeks and then go see doctor if needed. This is based on my own history as a stress-head worrier. Usually it's all better at the deadline I set for myself.

[Suzanne in ABQ]

Thanks all.  The one behind her ear hurts, but I think that's just because it's right next to her skull.  I'll have her check all over for scratches, bites, etc.  I'm not typically a worrier, but first there was one, then two.  If they keep popping up, I'll call the nurse line.  Maybe she is sick with a cold or something, and the other symptoms just haven't shown themselves yet.  I remember my son had one node in the back of his neck that got hard every time he had a cold.  I'll wait for a couple weeks and see if she gets more, or if these go away.

Thanks again for your experiences.

[happi duck]

I once went to the doctor as a kid for this and the doctor found a cut on my scalp.

 

[Pawz4me]

When I was a late teen I had a lymph node in my neck that stayed swollen for over a year. I have no idea why it was swollen, but it eventually went away. I don't think it's uncommon at all. But I'd watch them for a week or two, and if they don't shrink perhaps think about taking her in for a check, just in case.

[Melissa B]

My dd 15 has two right now and no other signs. We took her in and they confirmed inflamed lymph nodes. They suggested maybe she was playing with a cat/kitten and got a small scratch that way. Apparently that is a common cause.