I’m really glad you reached out — scalp bumps on a child should be checked, especially if they look painful.
While I can’t diagnose what they are, I can help you figure out what to do right now and what warning signs to watch for until your appointment.
✅ First, what you should do right now
1. Keep the area clean
Gently wash the scalp once a day with mild shampoo. Don’t scrub the bumps.
2. Avoid picking or squeezing
This can cause infection or make the area more painful.
3. Apply a warm compress
Hold a warm (not hot) clean cloth on the bumps for 5–10 minutes.
This can reduce pain and swelling without harming the skin.
4. Check for fever or spreading redness
These can indicate infection.
5. Use age-appropriate pain relief if needed
Acetaminophen or ibuprofen can help discomfort—only if your child has taken it safely before and you follow the correct dosing instructions for their age/weight.
⚠️ When you should NOT wait for the doctor appointment
Seek urgent care or same-day evaluation if you notice any of these:
🚩 Fast-spreading redness or swelling
Can indicate infection.
🚩 Warmth, pus, or drainage from the bumps
🚩 Fever or your child seems unusually tired or irritable
🚩 The bumps are very painful to touch or your child avoids letting you near them
🚩 Large swollen lumps at the back of the neck or behind the ears
(these may be swollen lymph nodes reacting to an infection)
🚩 The bumps are ring-shaped, flaky, or hair is falling out in patches
(this can indicate fungal infection like ringworm, which often needs prescription treatment)
🚩 Your child had recent injury, bite, new hair products, or lice exposure
If any of these apply, it’s safest to go to:
• Urgent care, or
• A walk-in clinic, or
• A pediatric after-hours clinic
They can evaluate a child’s scalp much sooner than a standard appointment.
🟡 Common, non-emergency causes
Just so you feel less alone, parents commonly see bumps like this from:
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Folliculitis (inflamed hair follicles)
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Sebaceous cysts
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Bug bites
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Scalp eczema/dermatitis
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Ringworm (fungal infection)
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Lymph node swelling from a minor infection
But again, only a clinician who sees the bumps can diagnose the cause.
➡️ If you want, you can describe:
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What the bumps look like (color, size, shape)
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Whether they are hard or soft
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If they are itchy, painful, or warm
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Whether there are flakes, crusting, or hair loss
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If your child recently had illness, bug bites, or new products
I can help you figure out how urgent it is and what the most likely next steps would be.
