If you suddenly find that the child has a lump behind the ear or even more than one, then show your child to the pediatrician. Most likely, you are faced with enlarged lymph nodes. As a rule, the cause is a recent illness. If it is a sore throat or runny nose, check the second side of the neck, such tubercles can appear on both sides. At first they are small, they gradually increase, but after a while they again return to their previous sizes.
Lymph node - to the touch a smooth, small soft seal. Lymph nodes are located in groups throughout the body. In infants, their capsule is soft and thin, and poorly palpated. But by the year in healthy children, they should already be well defined. The state of such a seal, especially with inflammation, is detected by palpation. An inflamed lymph node resembles a small sedentary lump.
Such a lump can be located behind the ear, on the side under the base of the skull or behind the clavicles at the neck level. The causes of cervical lymph nodes can be angina, inflammation of the adenoids, inflammatory processes in the nasopharynx, chronic tonsillitis, infectious mononucleosis, tonsil tuberculosis.
Diphtheria is another cause of inflammation of the nodes on the neck, while they increase so much that it literally swells. This group of lymph nodes responds in the same way to toxoplasmosis (cats carry the virus). If the bump behind the ear or neck is observed only on one side, then it is most likely a local infection, such as inflammation of the outer and middle ear, mouth ulcers, pyoderma, furunculosis, lice, dermatitis, eczema, allergic rash.
Inflammation of this kind is not treated on its own, because this is only a sign that the body is currently struggling with some kind of infection. If the cause is established, then it is it that is treated, but if after the lymph nodes have not come to their normal size, then they should be shown to the doctor.
It happens that a lump appearing behind the ear during palpation moves with the skin, then this is hardly a lymph node — they are inherently inactive. What then could be other reasons for the appearance of a seal behind the ear? These can be, first of all, skin tumors: a sebaceous cyst or lipoma. A cyst behind the ear can be congenital. This round lump-like formation is filled with fluid inside. They are caused by minor deviations in fetal development during pregnancy. Most of these formations are safe, but the doctor should examine the child to exclude such a serious disease as cystic gangrene.
The location of the cone plays an important role in determining the cause of its appearance. The tumor is closer to the base of the neck, especially in the presence of complaints of pain in the form of lumbago, may be an ailment of the sternocleidom, located next to the clavicle. A bump behind the ear in a child may appear due to an increase in the salivary parotid gland. In this case, a pig could influence its growth. This disease can occur only with such a single symptom, without causing the child much discomfort, but it can also be accompanied by fever, headache and severe bilateral edema of the neck. With such an ailment, it is necessary to provide quarantine for 10 days until the tumor subsides, and the patient should be provided with comfortable conditions for recovery.
This viral disease, like chickenpox, usually occurs in childhood. Having overcome it, a person acquires lifelong immunity. But there are also vaccinations for mumps. After vaccination, a small lump behind the ear or both may also appear, which will soon pass by itself. Mumps can not be treated on their own, the doctor should observe the patient, so as not to miss in rare cases of suppuration of the inflamed parotid gland.
Sometimes a swelling of the front of the neck indicates problems with the thyroid gland. This tumor moves during swallowing movements performed by the child and is located under the Adam's apple. If you notice such symptoms, immediately consult a doctor for further treatment. Perhaps an increase in the thyroid gland is associated with a decrease in its activity.