My son just showed me this painful lump on the side of his neck. It appeared overnight and he is really scared. The pediatrician is closed for the weekend. Any advice?

child can feel like your whole world tilting, but most causes are treatable and time-sensitive emergencies are the exception, not the rule. Start by grounding yourself: speak calmly, hold your child, and explain that many neck lumps are simply swollen lymph nodes reacting to common infections. Gently feel the lump and compare both sides of the neck;continue reading …