Why Does My Child Have a Lump in Their Neck? A Parent’s Guide to Swollen Glands Discovering a lump in your child’s neck can be unsettling. You may notice it while washing their hair, fastening a school shirt or cuddling them at bedtime. Sometimes your child finds it first and says there is a small “ball” under the skin. One of the first questions parents understandably ask is: “Should I be worried?” Fortunately, the majority of neck lumps in children have a benign explanation , and swollen lymph nodes associated with infections are particularly common. NICE states that reactive cervical lymphadenopathy is the most likely cause of a neck lump in children. However, not every neck lump is simply a swollen gland. Its position, size, duration, whether it is painful and whether your child has other symptoms all matter. This guide explains common causes, what parents can monitor and when medical or paediatric ENT assessment is appropriate. What are the little glands in my child...
Are labyrinthitis and vertigo the
same?
The ear has three main parts: the
outer ear, the middle ear, with small bones of hearing, and the inner ear,
consisting of the labyrinth. The labyrinth has two parts as well, hearing
processing part and balance part. When you get an infection in the inner ear,
it is often called labyrinthitis. Common symptoms for Labyrinthitis are hearing
loss or vertigo, however, there are also other causes for vertigo as well.
What is the most important thing
to remember when you have labyrinthitis symptoms?
In the first few hours of symptoms,
it is difficult to know between stroke and labyrinthitis. If you have vertigo
and notice one side of your face becoming droopy, your arms or leg become weak
and speech becomes slurred, you should call for urgent help.
What is the difference between
labyrinthitis and vestibular neuritis?
If you only have vertigo symptoms,
then it is due to vestibular neuritis. Vestibular neuritis occurs due to viral
infection.
When should you call for help
for labyrinthitis?
If you have ear discharge, high
temperature, severe headache and ear pain, you should call for urgent advice.
How do we treat labyrinthitis?
Labyrinthitis symptoms usually will
resolve within two to three weeks. Acute symptoms are best managed by bed rest,
proper rehydration and using the anti-sickness medication if required.
If you have associated hearing loss
with vertigo, you may need antibiotics to clear the infection. Balance
rehabilitation exercises can help with early recovery from symptoms. These can
be started once acute symptoms have subsided.
When do we need MRI scan for
labyrinthitis patients?
Patients with severe one-sided
hearing loss, headaches and persistent vertigo need to be scanned to rule out
acoustic neuroma.
Acoustic
neuroma (vestibular schwannoma) is rare benign non-cancer tumour arising from
balance nerve. Most of these tumours are very slow-growing, and yearly MRI
scans generally monitor all small non-growing tumours.
Mr Gaurav Kumar
Consultant Ear Nose Throat Surgeon
To Make An Appointment
07494914140
info@entsugeonclinic.co.uk
Helping patients with Specialist Expertise and Kindness
Disclaimer: For general information only, always seek medical advice from your treating consultant.
