Swelling of the neck in children
Even though a swollen neck is very often a cause of concern to parents of children, it can be considered harmless in most cases. In fact, swelling of the neck in children is usually only the result of an inflammation in the area of the nose, ears or throat. Lymph nodes are an important part of our immune system and contain a large number of white blood cells.
This is where our defence cells multiply and are activated in the event of an infection.Since the lymph nodes of the neck are located in the drainage area of the lymph of the head region, they react particularly strongly to inflammations in the head area. Ultimately, a swelling of the lymph nodes of the neck is generally considered to be the result of an intact immune system. In addition, lymph node enlargement in children is often more impressive because they are slimmer and have less subcutaneous fatty tissue.
While in adults, extensive diagnostics often have to be carried out in the case of swelling of the neck in order to rule out more serious diseases, this is usually unnecessary in children. It is also worth mentioning that lymph node swelling often lasts longer in children than in adults. It is not unusual for several weeks or months to pass before the swelling has completely subsided.
