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Expert Q&A
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| By David L. Fay, M.D. Family Physician Associate Director, Waukesha Family Practice Residency Program | ||
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Are swollen lymph nodes a common occurrence, or a sign of a serious illness or disease? My 3-year-old has one in her neck that always swells up when she gets sick. It will even be swollen now and then when she's not sick. Is this her body's way of fighting off an infection? What I mean is, if her lymph node becomes swollen, and she never presents a cold, flu, etc., and then the swelling goes down, is this her body's way of fighting off an infection?
Intermittent swelling of lymph nodes is very common, especially in younger children. The lymph nodes are involved in clearing infectious debris from the body, and will swell in response to infections or inflammations, some of which remain unrecognized in the patient. As long as the lymph node decreases to its original size, nothing need be done. Persistent swelling (longer than 4 to 6 weeks) should be investigated, however."