Skin Lump

When To Call

Call Doctor or Seek Care Now

• Redness spreading from the lump with fever
• Groin swelling and painful
• Age less than 12 months and on scalp. Exception: normal bump in back at base of skull.
• Your child looks or acts very sick
• You think your child needs to be seen, and the problem is urgent

Contact Doctor Within 24 Hours

• Redness spreading from the lump without fever
• Boil suspected (painful, non-itchy, red lump)
• Age 12 months or older and on scalp. Exception: normal bump in back at base of skull.
• Can't move nearest joint normally (bend and straighten completely)
• Swelling is painful and cause not known
• You think your child needs to be seen, but the problem is not urgent

Contact Doctor During Office Hours

• Large lump more than 1 inch (2.5 cm) and cause not known
• Small lump lasts more than 7 days and cause not known
• You have other questions or concerns

Self Care at Home

• Small lump present 7 days or less and cause not known. Reason: probably due to insect bite not observed.
• Breast bud - normal lump under the nipple
• External occipital protuberance - normal lump on back of head
• Mastoid process - normal lump behind each lower ear
• Xiphoid process - normal lump at bottom of breastbone

Care Advice

Treatment for a Small Lump or Swelling

What You Should Know:

• Most new swellings are due to insect bites. Mosquito bites account for 90% of them. Your child may not even know that he got bit.
• Suspect an insect bite if there are bites on other parts of the body.
• While most insect bites cause a small red bump, some are larger (like a hive).
• This does not mean your child has an allergy or the bite is infected.
• Here is some care advice that should help.

Cold Pack For Swelling:

• Apply a cold pack or cold wet washcloth for 20 minutes.

Steroid Cream for Itching:

• If the swelling is itchy, use 1% hydrocortisone cream (such as Cortaid). No prescription is needed.
• Do this 3 times per day.

Allergy Medicine for Itching:

• If itching becomes severe, give a dose of Benadryl.
• No prescription is needed. Age limit: 1 and older.

What to Expect:

• Most insect bites itch or hurt for 1 or 2 days.
• The swelling usually peaks in 2 days, but may last a week.
• If the swelling becomes larger or doesn't go away, it needs to be examined.

Call Your Doctor If:

• Swelling becomes very painful
• Fever occurs
• Swelling becomes large (over 1 inch or 2.5 cm)
• Swelling lasts over 7 days
• You think your child needs to be seen
• Your child becomes worse

Lumps that are a Normal Part of the Body

Breast Buds - Normal Lump Under the Nipple:

• Breast buds are normal, small disc-shaped rubbery lumps felt under the nipple.
• Age. They normally occur in 8-12 year old girls and are the first sign of puberty. Sometimes, they are even normal in 7 year olds.
• One Side. They sometimes start just on one side. Don't worry about that. Within 2 or 3 months, a breast bud will also appear on the other side.
• Importance. The entire breast develops entirely from the breast bud, taking 2 or 3 years to completion.
• Symptoms. Breast buds normally can be somewhat tender.
• Caution: Never squeeze or massage breast buds. Reason: Can cause a serious infection.
• Risks. None. Breast buds have no risk of turning into cancer.
• Follow-up. You can have your child's doctor check the breast bud during the next regular office visit.

External Occipital Protuberance - Normal Lump on Back of Head:

• The lump you feel at the base of the skull in back is normal. It is a bony part of the skull that sticks out and feels hard.
• If you feel carefully, you will find one on yourself or other children.
• This is not caused by any injury.

Mastoid Process - Normal Lump Behind the Ear:

• The mastoid process is a bony lump you can feel behind the lower ear.
• Muscles that turn the neck attach to the mastoid process.
• The process is larger in men because of larger neck muscles.
• The mastoid is filled with air cells that connect to the inner ear.

Xiphoid Process - Normal Lump at Bottom of Breastbone:

• The small hard lump at the lower end of the sternum (breastbone) is normal. It is called the xiphoid process. You can feel it.
• It is more prominent in babies and slender children. Sometimes, it's more visible when breathing in.
• If you feel carefully, you will find one on yourself or other children.
• It's made of cartilage, but turns to bone in adults.

Call Your Doctor If:

• You have other questions or concerns

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