My son has a swollen red lump on his neck under his right ear. He s in pain and can only move his head slightly each way. The CAT showed nothing in the ER yesterday but the swelling wasn t there yesterday and they were looking for a dislocated shoulder. What do I do? He s only 6 and in pain. I m so worried. Is it an abscess?
Hello, I can understand your concern. It seems that your son is suffering from an abscess as the CAT scan is negative for any disorder such as dislocated shoulder. From the location of the pain and swelling, it seems that your son is suffering from an infection related to the tooth in the lower jaw. As he is 6 years old, this is the time that first permanent molar erupts in the oral cavity. It is possible that the abscess might be related to that tooth. When he moves his head, the swelling might get pressured causing pain. I would advise you to visit a dentist for examination of the oral cavity for focus of infection. If the dentist rules out any problem in the oral cavity, an ENT specialist should be seen for ear infection. For relief in pain, you can give him Eugenic syrup 5 ml up to three times a day until you get an appointment of the dentist. I would also like to caution you against using heat compression or hot water gargles as infection may worsen by that. I hope this information helps you. Thank you for choosing Chat Doctor. I wish your son feels better soon. Best,