Is it normal for a child to have lymph nodes in the neck?

Many parents accidentally discover that their children have a few small bumps on their necks, the size of peanuts and slippery to the touch. They think they have grown something and rush them to the hospital. This situation is very common and can be seen in almost every outpatient clinic. When I was working in the emergency surgery department, I encountered patients who came to the emergency room at night to see lymph nodes several times because parents found these bags when bathing their children at night.

After the doctor examined the child, he confirmed that it was a lymph node, but many parents were still very nervous because many people have heard of some serious diseases related to "lymph", such as lymphoma, leukemia, etc. Why do their children have lymph nodes? Is it serious? Whether or not to seek treatment is a question many parents have.

Is it normal for a child to have lymph nodes in the neck?

Whether adults or children, everyone has many lymph nodes, and they are clustered in groups. Each group of lymph nodes is responsible for a part of the body. When bacteria and viruses that invade the body enter the lymph nodes from the lymphatic vessels, on the one hand, most of them can be filtered and eliminated by the lymph nodes, and on the other hand, they can stimulate the human immune system to cause an immune response, including reactive hyperplasia of lymph nodes. Therefore, lymph nodes are both a barrier and an alarm for the human body.

You usually cannot feel the lymph nodes of a baby when it is just born. After birth, the baby starts to come into contact with various pathogens. The baby's immune system continues to improve and mature through contact with pathogens. As part of the immune system, lymph nodes slowly proliferate in this process, so you can feel them in a large number of children, especially on the back of the head, neck, and behind the ears. Because these areas are relatively exposed and easier to be found, and also because children often have upper respiratory tract infections, the lymph nodes in these areas are often stimulated by inflammation and are prone to proliferate. This proliferation process will continue until puberty, and then the lymph nodes will gradually shrink and gradually become intangible, so adults rarely feel the lymph nodes.

Lymph nodes can be felt in about half of children

So if your child feels it, don’t be nervous, most of the time it is normal hyperplasia. Normal lymph nodes are mostly the size of soybeans or peanuts, with a smooth surface, flexible texture, and the ability to slide. They are painless to the touch, and the child will not have any other discomfort. Dynamic observation is sufficient, and there is no need for injections, antibiotics, or Chinese medicine.

What you need to be alert to are those abnormal lymph node changes

It is generally believed that when the diameter of the lymph nodes in the neck and armpits exceeds 1 cm and the diameter of the groin area exceeds 1.5 cm, the lymph nodes are considered abnormally swollen. Many children will find swollen lymph nodes after a cold or fever. When the lymph nodes continue to swell and do not subside, or the lymph nodes grow rapidly within a week or two, or several lymph nodes fuse into a mass and become very hard, fixed and unable to slide, or the child also has other physical symptoms, then you need to be careful and it is best to see a doctor to check to see if there is a problem and what the cause is before deciding whether to treat it.

There are many reasons for abnormal changes in lymph nodes. The most common one is infection, including common bacterial and viral infections, as well as infections with special bacteria, viruses and other pathogens, which require anti-infection or symptomatic treatment. Some may also be manifestations of autoimmune diseases, malignant tumors and other diseases, such as the lymphoma and leukemia mentioned above. This is also the problem that parents are most worried about. Although it is relatively rare, it is more troublesome when encountered and requires a doctor to do a detailed examination to check.