Since this is focused on mumps infection & immune function I'm moving to H&H.
Mumps? **UPDATE post 7--Lymphadenitis
**Updated Post 7**
My almost three year old is going to the dr today for a large (really large) mass or swelling or *something* in his neck, under his jaw line. It's like a gigantic swollen gland, but it's not where his glands are typically swollen (he is a pretty glandular kid, he has an immune deficiency and allergies, so he often has marble-sized glands on his neck, but they are individual glands and are farther back on his neck, this is a huge single swelling, and more upfront).
We had strep in our house a week and a half ago (my husband and my oldest son) so at first I thought that he might have strep. But first of all, he's not sick (anymore, he had a cold when the rest of us were sick, it looks like my husband and older son's colds turned into strep, while my middle son and I had just colds), and also, the gland is just..."different". I looked up picture of Mumps online, and it looks very similar, except that his is only on one side.
ANYWAY...here's my question...assuming this is Mumps...my older son had one dose of MMR, myself and my husband are fully vaccinated (last doses at age 5ish). The baby is not vaccinated, my middle son is not vaccinated.
My first question is, does acquiring Mumps always give permanent natural immunity in an otherwise healthy person? Does that immunity lessen in time?
My older son had one dose of MMR, but is supposed to be due for another dose anytime now (he'll be 5 soon...I wasn't planning on giving him that second dose). I know the vaccine is 70-90% effective, but what is the effectiveness at his age, considering he's "due" for another dose? In other words, what are his chances of getting Mumps too? Does this natural exposure, even if he doesn't get sick, boost his immunity anyway?
Is there any sort of secondary illness later on from Mumps (like Shingles and Chicken Pox)?
For those that are familiar with immunology...My son that might have Mumps has a Primary Immune Deficiency (t-cell deficit, stemming from an underdeveloped Thymus gland; DiGeorge Syndrome). We just had his t-cell counts re-done, his CD3 total t-cells were 2217, CD4 total helper cells was 1406. Do you think that he will retain any immunity from this infection? He had lab-confirmed chicken pox but did not retain any immunity, but his CD4 count then was 1231 so a bit lower than it is now.
My almost three year old is going to the dr today for a large (really large) mass or swelling or *something* in his neck, under his jaw line. It's like a gigantic swollen gland, but it's not where his glands are typically swollen (he is a pretty glandular kid, he has an immune deficiency and allergies, so he often has marble-sized glands on his neck, but they are individual glands and are farther back on his neck, this is a huge single swelling, and more upfront).
We had strep in our house a week and a half ago (my husband and my oldest son) so at first I thought that he might have strep. But first of all, he's not sick (anymore, he had a cold when the rest of us were sick, it looks like my husband and older son's colds turned into strep, while my middle son and I had just colds), and also, the gland is just..."different". I looked up picture of Mumps online, and it looks very similar, except that his is only on one side.
ANYWAY...here's my question...assuming this is Mumps...my older son had one dose of MMR, myself and my husband are fully vaccinated (last doses at age 5ish). The baby is not vaccinated, my middle son is not vaccinated.
My first question is, does acquiring Mumps always give permanent natural immunity in an otherwise healthy person? Does that immunity lessen in time?
My older son had one dose of MMR, but is supposed to be due for another dose anytime now (he'll be 5 soon...I wasn't planning on giving him that second dose). I know the vaccine is 70-90% effective, but what is the effectiveness at his age, considering he's "due" for another dose? In other words, what are his chances of getting Mumps too? Does this natural exposure, even if he doesn't get sick, boost his immunity anyway?
Is there any sort of secondary illness later on from Mumps (like Shingles and Chicken Pox)?
For those that are familiar with immunology...My son that might have Mumps has a Primary Immune Deficiency (t-cell deficit, stemming from an underdeveloped Thymus gland; DiGeorge Syndrome). We just had his t-cell counts re-done, his CD3 total t-cells were 2217, CD4 total helper cells was 1406. Do you think that he will retain any immunity from this infection? He had lab-confirmed chicken pox but did not retain any immunity, but his CD4 count then was 1231 so a bit lower than it is now.
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I think one lump is not necessarily mumps. For sure he's got an infection of some kind, but it may not be mumps.
When I had mono I had a lymph gland that swelled up to almost the size of a baseball--they were considering surgery to drain it.
The lymph glands in the back of my neck were the size of golf balls.
Definitely see what the doc thinks on this one.
Hope he feels better.
V
When I had mono I had a lymph gland that swelled up to almost the size of a baseball--they were considering surgery to drain it.
The lymph glands in the back of my neck were the size of golf balls.
Definitely see what the doc thinks on this one.
Hope he feels better.
V
Yes, it could be mumps-- but have you heard of a local outbreak? It would be really unusual.
Last year, my son was just as you described and he had mono. He was 4 and the doc said that the mono was common at that age. His lymph nodes were huge and she measured them, said it has to run it's course, and she'd monitor the size of the glands to make sure they go down.
That was about it. There's no really a treatment that they give for it.
Last year, my son was just as you described and he had mono. He was 4 and the doc said that the mono was common at that age. His lymph nodes were huge and she measured them, said it has to run it's course, and she'd monitor the size of the glands to make sure they go down.
That was about it. There's no really a treatment that they give for it.
I just read your edited post, and forget what I said. Your son is obviously in a very special circumstance that my answer doesnt have the reach for. Good Luck!
What did the doctor say? Hugs to you both.
I took him to the dr. He is puzzled to say the least!
First of all, he doesn't think it's Mumps, because he can see and feel the jawline, and I guess that the glands Mumps involves make it so the jawline isn't easily visible or palpable. He said he's sure it's a lymphnode.
That said, he has no idea why it's so huge! It literally is the size of Connor's fist!
For now he's calling it Lymphadenitis and treating it as if it's a staph or strep infection. But Connor shows no signs of illness right now, no fever, no rash, no pain, normal activity, eating/sleeping/pooping/peeing, etc. He's on a 10 day course of Augmentin, but I was told to call back on day 6 if it's not significantly smaller.
He did ask if we have a kitten, which we do (well, he's 10 months old) because Cat Scratch Disease can cause something similar. But he said he'd expect to find enlarged lymphnodes in the armpits and groin as well. Connor has none in his armpits, but does have small ones in his groin. However, those in his groin have been there for at least a year.
SO...no idea really! I did a quick google search on Lymphadenitis, but it's very broad, could be almost anything from really simple and common to really rare and really bad. Without more symptoms, a google search isn't helpful.
First of all, he doesn't think it's Mumps, because he can see and feel the jawline, and I guess that the glands Mumps involves make it so the jawline isn't easily visible or palpable. He said he's sure it's a lymphnode.
That said, he has no idea why it's so huge! It literally is the size of Connor's fist!
For now he's calling it Lymphadenitis and treating it as if it's a staph or strep infection. But Connor shows no signs of illness right now, no fever, no rash, no pain, normal activity, eating/sleeping/pooping/peeing, etc. He's on a 10 day course of Augmentin, but I was told to call back on day 6 if it's not significantly smaller.
He did ask if we have a kitten, which we do (well, he's 10 months old) because Cat Scratch Disease can cause something similar. But he said he'd expect to find enlarged lymphnodes in the armpits and groin as well. Connor has none in his armpits, but does have small ones in his groin. However, those in his groin have been there for at least a year.
SO...no idea really! I did a quick google search on Lymphadenitis, but it's very broad, could be almost anything from really simple and common to really rare and really bad. Without more symptoms, a google search isn't helpful.
Oh, also...Connor's throat looks prefectly fine, no redness or swelling or puss, tonsels looked fine. However, his tongue was being "lifted" on the side of the swelling, so the dr was concerned about that. He said that it's a sign that the lymph node is pressing on the tongue from inside.
He said that if it weren't for that, and concern that further swelling could lead to airway compromise, then he might instruct us to use warm moist compressed for a few days to see if it starts to go down on its own. But since it's been two days already, and since it's effecting his tongue, and since it's a weekend, he didn't want us to wait, so we started the antibiotics right away. Seemed like a sensible precaution.
He said that if it weren't for that, and concern that further swelling could lead to airway compromise, then he might instruct us to use warm moist compressed for a few days to see if it starts to go down on its own. But since it's been two days already, and since it's effecting his tongue, and since it's a weekend, he didn't want us to wait, so we started the antibiotics right away. Seemed like a sensible precaution.
So did he mention anything about Mono? I'm just wondering if he tested for that. When the doc thought my son had strep and put him on amoxicillin, (sp?) he broke out in a bad rash. The doc then said that mono will cause a rash if treated with anitbiotics. I'm not sure if that's all antibios or just amox. Just wanted to give you a heads-up just in case your son breaks out in a rash. That could be where it's coming from.
Hope he's feeling better soon!
Really strange! Please keep up updated.
What about a abcessed tooth? DD's jaw swelled really badly with one and she wasnt in pain because the tooth had been root canaled. The swelling came out of nowhere and looked awful.
The dr didn't see any signs of strep or mono, no swollen/red tonsils, no enlarged spleen, etc. And if it were an abscessed tooth, wouldn't he be in a lot of pain, especially when eating? He's not, he's acting perfectly normal (aside from more stubbornness, maybe increased whining, but I don't think it's outside of normal for this age, he'll be 3 soon, this seems pretty typical). He slept all night the last two nights (thank you!!) and has had normal activity levels during the day.
I was trying to look at it this morning, but he wasn't cooperating. I think it might be getting a little smaller already, but that might just be wishful thinking on my part.
I was trying to look at it this morning, but he wasn't cooperating. I think it might be getting a little smaller already, but that might just be wishful thinking on my part.
I have this swelling under the jaw, and the chiro figures its a swollen submandibal gland. Like a blocked saliva gland. I googled it, and they can get blocked by little 'stones' mine flared up big twice in Dec. Now it will be a little nubby one week and then get a little puffy & swollen the next. But it hasn't gotten 'big' again. What I eat seems to affect it. Just throwing that out for you.
Well, on day 4.5 of the abx and it appears to be getting smaller. The surrounding swelling is getting smaller anyway, not sure if the actual lymphnode is or not, it was so hard to tell what was lymphnode and what was swelling, you know?
But I'm taking this as a good sign.
But I'm taking this as a good sign.
Glad he's getting better.
FTR, mumps can affect just one side. I had it on one side when I was a kid. I remember orange juice (my fave) being very painful.
FTR, mumps can affect just one side. I had it on one side when I was a kid. I remember orange juice (my fave) being very painful.
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