What is the cause of the bump on the back of the child's head?

Children are in a period of rapid growth and development, so their bodies are most likely to have problems during this period. Many parents are most worried about their babies' health problems, fearing that it will affect their children's normal growth and development. A lump on the back of a child's head is one of the most common symptoms in life. There are many reasons for such symptoms, and we must pay great attention to it. Let us understand what is going on when a child has a lump on the back of his head.

What is the cause of the bump on the back of the child's head?

Lymph nodes are a component of the human lymphatic system. They are composed of lymphatic tissue and reticuloendothelial cells, distributed throughout the body, and connected by lymphatic vessels. The lymphatic system of children is not fully developed at birth. It develops most vigorously in the first ten years after birth, especially in early childhood. Therefore, it is difficult to touch the lymph nodes in newborns. However, in generally healthy infants and young children, single, soft or slightly hard, non-tender lymph nodes ranging in size from mung bean to soybean can be felt superficially in the neck, under the jaw, behind the occipital bone, in front of the ears, and in the groin. This is a physiological phenomenon.

Lymph nodes play an important role in protecting children's health. The lymphocytes produced by the lymph nodes have immune functions and can filter, clear and phagocytize bacteria in the lymphatic vessels.

Local lymph node enlargement reflects inflammation of the tissue in the corresponding area. For example, scalp infection can cause enlargement of the occipital lymph nodes and the lymph nodes behind the ear. External otitis can cause enlargement of the lymph nodes in front of and behind the ear. Tonsillitis, gingivitis, and dental caries can cause enlargement of the submandibular lymph nodes. Inflammation of the lower limbs can cause enlargement of the inguinal lymph nodes, etc. When the inflammation is severe, the swollen lymph nodes will be obviously tender. If the inflammation cannot be controlled, the infection may spread to the whole body. Tuberculous lymphadenitis should also be considered in the case of local lymph node enlargement. The enlarged lymph nodes are commonly found in the neck and submandibular area, and are often in a beaded shape.

Diseases that may cause swollen lymph nodes throughout the body include: sepsis, leukemia, lymphoma, infectious diseases (such as rubella), hemolytic anemia, etc.

No matter which part of the lymph nodes are swollen, it is recommended that you take your baby to the hospital for examination in time so that symptomatic treatment can be given.

Children do not feel pain when these bumps are touched and generally do not need to be treated. This is a normal superficial lymph node in the human body. The lymph nodes contain many cells that specialize in engulfing pathogenic substances. They can engulf and digest bacteria, viruses, and aging and dead cells in the body, playing a protective and defensive function. If the swollen lymph nodes are found to be larger than soybeans, either singly or in clusters, and the child cries or screams in pain when touched, parents should pay attention. Because it is one of the symptoms of many diseases in children, common diseases are divided into the following three categories:

1. Chronic local inflammation such as oral tonsillitis, caries, periodontitis, seborrheic dermatitis, otitis media, etc. can all cause enlargement of the submandibular, occipital, and postauricular lymph nodes.

2. After tuberculosis inflammation is caused by infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis, children may also experience swollen and painful lymph nodes in the neck, behind the ears, and under the jaw, accompanied by low fever, night sweats, and weight loss.

3. Infectious diseases and systemic infections such as measles, chickenpox, infectious mononucleosis, chronic systemic infections and leukemia, swollen lymph nodes can be felt in superficial parts of the body.

We know that the main function of lymph nodes is to produce lymphocytes, which have immune functions and serve as the body's defense barrier, blocking or engulfing bacteria that invade the body through the lymphatic system and preventing the spread of lesions. Lymph nodes throughout the body are connected by lymphatic vessels, and many lymphatic vessels lead to the same lymph node. The lymph nodes can filter and remove bacteria in their own lymphatic vessels.

When a child is born, the lymphatic system is not yet fully developed, so the lymph nodes of the neonatal period are difficult to touch. Within 10 years old, especially in the early childhood period of 1 to 3 years old, the body's lymphatic tissue develops fastest, and the lymph nodes are fully developed by the age of 12 to 13 years old. Many normal young children can feel single, movable, non-tender, soybean-sized, soft or slightly hard lymph nodes in the neck, submandibular, axillary and groin areas. When they reach sexual maturity, the lymph nodes no longer grow.

The lymph nodes in infancy have poor barrier function against infection, and inflammation is not easily confined to the lymph nodes. It can quickly spread and cause cellulitis around the lymph nodes and even sepsis. After one year old, the barrier function gradually increases, so lymph node enlargement is particularly prone to occur between the ages of 3 and 10 years old. This is a normal reaction. As the immune function gradually increases and the phagocytic function is acquired, suppuration rarely occurs.

The swelling of local lymph nodes reflects that the tissues in the corresponding parts are experiencing or have experienced inflammation. For example, when the scalp is infected, the retrooccipital lymph nodes and postauricular lymph nodes may swell; inflammation of the external auditory canal can cause swelling of the preauricular and postauricular lymph nodes; inflammation of the incisors and sublingual area can cause swelling of the submental lymph nodes; tonsillitis, gingivitis, and dental caries can cause swelling of the submandibular lymph nodes; inflammation of the upper and lower limbs often causes swelling of the axillary and inguinal lymph nodes, etc. After the inflammation heals, the swollen lymph nodes will take a long time to disappear. Generally speaking, this is normal. If there is tuberculosis infection, the child's neck, submandibular area and other parts may also swell. Local metastasis of cancer is rare.

There are many reasons why children have a lump on the back of their head. When encountering such a thing, parents should not always panic, but find out what caused it. Do not blindly treat it. If you are not sure about the cause, you should go to the hospital for treatment in time. Only the right medicine is the best treatment for the disease.