Weird Bump at the Base of Neck

I'd need to more about the "large bump" before I could come to any determination on what it might be and/or what caused it. As long as your baby is showing no signs of discomfort or illness-and the bump isn't changing (getting bigger, darker, sinking in the middle, has visible lines running from it, etc.) I wouldn't worry myself too much about it today. I would call her pediatrician and get an appointment to have it checked out if it doesn't go away in a few days. If she starts to act sick as the day wears on or if the bump starts to change go to the ER anyway. You know your baby best. If you think she needs to be seen by a doctor right away, make it happen.

Hopefully it's nothing. My 8 month old is just starting to walk and she falls a LOT. So far we haven't seen any bumps or bruises but I suspect it's only a matter of time. Babies are very resiliant, thank God!

Good luck and God bless.

1 mom found this helpful

My 11 month old son has two bumps similar to what you're describing. His are on the base of his skull in the back and one at the base of the neck in the back. (both left side) My pediatrician has looked at them and says they are lymphnodes. The bumps don't bother my son at all either.

could be a lypoma which is fatty like tissue....i definitely would have it checked out. I happen to have one on my neck in the spot that you describe also one on my back. they aren't painful and what I've been told are harmless.

We just had this problem with our 1 month old. We found out it was torticollis. It was caused by the doctor using forceps when he was born, but it can have other causes. It is a build up of blood in that muscle by the neck. We had to go to Children's Mercy to get it diagnosed. They did an ultrasound to make sure that it was torticollis. We have to do neck stretches every two hours for 6 weeks then it should go away. If this doesn't sound like what your baby has, the doctors thought it might be a swollen lymph node (but those usually don't get so hard). I don't think you need to go to the ER, but definately take her to the doctor. You might need to bring up torticollis, because we went to a family practitioner, nurse practitioner, and pediatrition who didn't know what it was before our referal to Children's Mercy.

I don't have any suggestions as to what the bump may be, but I would definitely take her to her pediatrician as soon as possible just to be safe.
Good luck!

do they look like peas? If so My 4 year old had them all the time and they are her glands. My doctor told me with children they are totally normal but i would still call the doctor and talk to the nurse. You might check your insurance company might have a nurses line. I call my all the time they almost know me by name there but that is what they are there for and they have saved me many trips to the er over the years. I tend to worry about ever little thing.

I agree, I wouldn't worry too much...I would call the pediatrician for an appointment though. I could be anything and it could be nothing. But I'd let the doctor determine that. To me it is worth the money. Skip the ER though and call your Pediatrician in the morning.

My 2 1/2 year old son got one too, it went away after a couple weeks. I've had one before too and it went away after a month or so on it's own.

Is this bump on her spinal column? How large is it? If it is at the top of the area where the back joins the neck, that is a prominent place by nature, but this sounds like you're speaking of in the front. In the back, people tend to swell there with activity. I swell there due to inflammation in my spine, due to neck/spinal surgery, six years ago! I would watch it from day to day and see if it changes. It may be that you've never noticed it before, but if it seems to increase in size, it's well worth having her doctor check it out. I definitely would have it checked out if it is in the front! If it's in the back, if she complains of anything such as headaches, back or neck pain, or runs a temperature. Otherwise, next time she is at her doctor, which I hope she's on a regular check up schedule, just have him/her look at it to see what they think. Another thing you might want to do is to call and talk to the nurse or PA in your doctor's office. Being an observant caring Mom is the best thing you can give her, next to your love! Good luck and keep me posted. Also, good luck on your next pregnancy.

About me:

I have extensive medical experience and I'm obtaining my bachelor's and will be applying for the Physicians Assistant Program at WSU upon completion of my BA, I've already had many of the courses for the PA program. I have quite a bit of "hands-on" experience raising a daughter with multiple medical issues and later taking care of my Mom her last year of life due to incurable cancer. I was her nurse 24/7! I cannot tell you what to do, as I don't have my license, but I can make suggestions.

I think you're right to want to get it checked out. I would make an apt with her doctor when you can.

M., please get that checked as soon as possible. I don't want to alarm you and it could really be nothing,k but considering the alternatives in some cases it is good to be aware that that is nothing to mess with.Be insistant with biopsy. My very good friend lost her son to NueroBlastoma. It started as a bump at the base of the neck, they called it a nerve knot and prescribed muscle relaxers. The good news is, is that it is 90+%
curable if caught before the age of 2. She was not that lucky and the mortality rate drops dramatically. I hope it is nothing, but I would rather have someone point out something that isn't wrong than for someone to read this and blow it off or hold back for fear of hurting your feelings.

This sounds like something my nephew had. When he saw the doctor it was just fatty tissue and they cut it out. It did look kind of scary though. It was a large hard knot on his neck. Hopefully that is all it is!
Good Luck,
M.

M., It may be an infection that has caused a lymph node to swell. You need to go ahead and take her to her doctor. My daughter and granddaughter have had swollen nodes in the past at the base of their skulls on their necks. Good Luck. glw

Is it toward her midline, or out by her shoulder, and neck? It could be the end of her collar bone. If it is actually a bump, better have someone check it.

J. B

Hi, M.,

I am a 50 year old mother of 5, and have 2 granddaughters.
With all the experience I have had, I reccomend that you have the bump checked out right away with your doctor or pediatrition -- as much as for your peace of mind as for your daughter's health. If it's a nothing, your mind won't spend time and energy wondering about it -- if it's a something, it's best to get it handled right away for your daughters' best health.

I found something like that on my daughter at around 7 months. Kinda freaks you out. It was a cyst and did need to be surgically removed. We waited till she was about a year and a half, I think. The doctor just said that at some point, it would grow and may burst. Lovely, I know. It was hard to put her through surgery. Not for HER, but for ME!! She's fine now.

It could be scar tissue. I would keep an eye on it to see if it changes in size or shape. If it's really bothering call the doctor. Mommies instinct is always best! Take care.

Hello,
Take her in to see her DR. Any suspicous bump's, good to get a DR's. look.
Wife ____@____.com mama of 2

Has she had any shots lately? My daughter had one of these and I asked the doctor about it and he said it might be due to immunizations or allergies. He recommended watching it for a week and note any changes. Hers went away in about a week. I would definately call or schedule a visit though just in case.

My 18 month old has the same thing and his doctor said it was no big deal. It'll go away on it's own. I forgot what she said it was but as long as it doesn't get any bigger then we just go on about our day. His is about the size of a pea and it's off to the side almost below his ear.

I'd say just watch it and make sure it doesn't get any bigger and point it out to her doctor at her 18 month well-visit!

Hello Mandy! It might possibly be an inflammed lymph node...if it is on the inside of the collar bone, as in towards the neck. The only time these are inflammed is if there is stress or she could be getting sick. I, personally would wait to see her physician instead of paying for an ER visit, but that is my opinion only. But, I hope you do find out what it is and that it is nothing serious. Have a great day! Babies are so much fun!

That sounds like a cyst to me. Nothing to be overly concerned about, but I would have the doctor look at it at her next visit.

Hi M.,
Since the bump has your attention enough to question others about it, I think you should get your daughter to a dr., if for no other reason than to rest your mind. Most times, these things are nothing to concern ourselves about, but one never knows for certain until it is seen by a physician. Remember the old addage, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? Make an appointment to have this matter taken care of and rest easy tonight. God bless you and your family.

Just out of curiosity, do you have a cat or has your daughter been around a cat? My 20 month old son just came up with a hard knot like bump on the end of his jaw. It also felt like the end of the bone and he showed no sings of pain or discomfort. I took him to the doctor and he was tested and diagnosed with Cat Scratch Disease commonly known as cat scratch fever. It is a swelling of the lymph nodes which usually goes away on it's own. He was given an oral antibiotic and I was told that the swelling will go down in time. Hope that helps.

Hi M.,
Is she getting a cough, or sleeping a little more? My kids (18 mo.& 5)both get a bump at the base of their heads/neck connection whenever they have some type of virus in their systems. It can last a few months & then just go away. The doc's have said it is just a lymph node that will swell up when their bodies are fighting something. (often, they have no symptoms other than that bump). Instead of making a seperate appointment, could you just ask at your next one? I hope this helps.