My 8-year-old son had painful lymph node two weeks ago. Should I be concerned?

Question

Hi doctor,

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My 8-year-old son had a painful lymph node two weeks ago and now smaller but still present. Location is my concern. Should I be able to palpate these nodes? Are they supraclavicular?. Right before that, he had two bug bites in the occipital neck. On palpation, the large painful node was 1 cm with two shotty nodes below. Today the previous large node is smaller. He still has the shotty nodes. The large node is cervical, but the others are so low. Should I be concerned about supraclavicular nodes? I have attached the picture. Also, I am pretty sure he had nodes as a baby too. I do not remember exactly which side.

Answer 1

Hi,

Welocme back to icliniq.com.

Cervical lymphadenopathy in children is often reactive and as he had bug bites it is expected. However for other nodes, there is no need to worry. Size less than 1.5 cm is usually insignificant and in absence of any other symptoms should not be of concern. However any change in size or nature like hardness or if they become matted need further evaluation. Or if child develops generalized lymphadenopathy, fever, weight loss, malaise, loss of appetite should alert one to go for proper evaluation. Otherwise isolated shotty nodes are usually insignificant