Hi Stefan. It is against our Q&A policy to diagnose, prescribe or suggest any treatment. This is an online platform to guide readers. You need advice and answers from a medical professional who is familiar with your mother’s case. If you have doubts about your current doctor’s recommendations then you need to seek a second opinion from another doctor. Despite all the information you have provided, there may be other facets to your mother’s case that you may not be aware of. Let a qualified medical professional advise you further.

Hi Gine. Enlarged nodes can be present even if there are no other symptoms. Furthermore these enlarged lymph nodes can persist even after an infection resolves and other symptoms clear. It is therefore difficult to say for sure as to what may be causing these swollen lymph nodes. Speak to your doctor as soon as possibel

Hi Irisheyes. Based on your report, it is possible that this is an enlarged lymph node. Temporary enlargement can occur for various reasons but given that it is persisting, you should definitely have this checked. A thyroid nodule should also not be excluded as a possibility until your doctor says so . You should definitely follow up with your doctor as further investigations may be necessary. A referral to an ENT specialist may also be advisable but your family doctor will advise you accordingly.

I’m wondering if it could a lymph node or possibly something else such as a thyroid nodule, etc?

Location is about 1/4 inch lower than the adams apple, about an inch to the right, anterior (inside) of the sternocleidomastoid muscle.

Hi EggyHerman. We are unfortunately unable to suggest an exact course of diagnosis or treatment for the situation. It is best to wait for the clinician to decide on the approach. An FNA may be warranted when some of the symptoms you mention are present in an adult but the same approach may not be relevant to a baby. Sometimes the pediatrician may instead pescribe antibiotics if there are other symptoms of an infection and adopt a wait and watch approach. It is fully understandable that you would be nervous as most parents are when it comes to their children, particularly babies, but remember the course of action is not always the same for a child as it is for an adult. If in doubt, always seek a second or even third opinion.

Thanks for the reply! We were not hoping for an online diagnosis; it is just comforting to have a third voice chime in. We plan on taking her to a smallish hospital/clinic. It will be 8 days tomorrow, and 10 days by the time we go to the clinic.
When I wrote immovable, it is relative to what I think is movable. It moves laterally, anterior to posterior a bit, but not so much vertically, from clavicle to top of head.
Again, she remains asymptomatic, and I just viewed my mother-in-laws chest X-ray from 2 weeks ago. It is clear and does not show typical signs of TB disease, although she coughs consistently. I think it is due to the no water/food fast for Ramadan, so they all have dry throats and airways here in the house.
Should I ask the clinician/surgeon for an FNA if it is still the same size in a few days? I don’t want her poked with needles just yet, but it could tell us if it is a myobacterial infection no?
Should I get her on a course of antibiotics, or let it go as long as it does not get bigger and she remains aymptomatic?
Lots of questions, I know, Just nerves, and children! I let myself lose an arm without concern, but with speechless babies you feel so helpless! Thanks for your time and consideration!

Rob