Question
A two-year-old child has been experiencing swelling in the neck lymph nodes since July this year, which has become more pronounced during episodes of tonsillitis, fever, and laryngitis. On November 3rd, the child developed laryngitis with fever and prominent lymph nodes beneath the skin. After being hospitalized for symptomatic anti-inflammatory treatment, the fever subsided on the third day and the laryngitis healed, allowing the child to be discharged on the eighth day. An ultrasound examination on the day of discharge showed a right-sided neck lymph node measuring 1.8cm × 0.9cm and a left-sided lymph node measuring 0.8cm × 0.4cm. A follow-up ultrasound examination on November 19th revealed that the right-sided lymph node had increased to 1.9cm × 0.9cm and the left-sided lymph node to 1.9cm × 1.1cm. The child is in good spirits, eating normally, and has no fever.
Answer
Lymph node swelling is a common clinical symptom in children, often manifested as one or more lymph nodes in the neck, armpits, or inguinal area that may vary in size and hardness, occasionally causing tenderness. Since the child’s lymphatic system is not fully developed, when the body is infected with a virus, the lymph nodes may not be able to completely engulf the virus, leading to lymphadenitis. For infants under one year old, lymph node swelling requires caution. However, for slightly older children who notice lymph node swelling, it is usually triggered by a mild infection and there is no need to be overly concerned. Wishing the child a healthy growth.