
Ranked nationally in pediatric care.
Arkansas Children's provides right-sized care for your child. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Arkansas Children's in seven specialties for 2024-2025.

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We're focused on improving child health through exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, continuing education, and outreach and prevention.

When it comes to your child, every emergency is a big deal.
Our ERs are staffed 24/7 with doctors, nurses and staff who know kids best – all trained to deliver right-sized care for your child in a safe environment.

Arkansas Children's provides right-sized care for your child. U.S. News & World Report has ranked Arkansas Children's in seven specialties for 2024-2025.

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Find health tips, patient stories, and news you can use to champion children.

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Our flu resources and education information help parents and families provide effective care at home.

Children are at the center of everything we do.
We are dedicated to caring for children, allowing us to uniquely shape the landscape of pediatric care in Arkansas.

Transforming discovery to care.
Our researchers are driven by their limitless curiosity to discover new and better ways to make these children better today and healthier tomorrow.

We're focused on improving child health through exceptional patient care, groundbreaking research, continuing education, and outreach and prevention.

Then we're looking for you! Work at a place where you can change lives...including your own.

When you give to Arkansas Children's, you help deliver on our promise of a better today and a healthier tomorrow for the children of Arkansas and beyond

Become a volunteer at Arkansas Children's.
The gift of time is one of the most precious gifts you can give. You can make a difference in the life of a sick child.

Join our Grassroots Organization
Support and participate in this advocacy effort on behalf of Arkansas’ youth and our organization.

Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.

Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.

Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.

Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.

Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.

Learn How We Transform Discovery to Care
Scientific discoveries lead us to new and better ways to care for children.

When you give to Arkansas Children’s, you help deliver on our promise of a better today and a healthier tomorrow for the children of Arkansas and beyond.

Your volunteer efforts are very important to Arkansas Children's. Consider additional ways to help our patients and families.

Join one of our volunteer groups.
There are many ways to get involved to champion children statewide.

Make a positive impact on children through philanthropy.
The generosity of our supporters allows Arkansas Children's to deliver on our promise of making children better today and a healthier tomorrow.

Read and watch heart-warming, inspirational stories from the patients of Arkansas Children’s.
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Arkansas Children's Hospital
General Information 501-364-1100
Arkansas Children's Northwest
General Information 479-725-6800

Neck Masses
There are many kinds of neck masses and bumps that can be present in children from birth. Most are just inflammatory and are not cancerous. They can be large or small and often are not noticed until the child gets a cold or sinus infection. Types of more common masses and bumps include:
- Thyroglossal duct cyst. This mass is a small area of fluid or mucus in the neck. It usually goes unnoticed until an infection causes it to swell.
- Branchial cleft cyst. This type of cysts occurs when tissues in the neck and collarbone area do not develop normally, causing spaces of air to form. These can fill with fluid and become infected.
- Dermoid cyst. This is a pocket under the skin that contains tissues normally located in the outer skin layers. The mass may be visible at birth or early infancy, but often is not found until later in childhood.
- Inflammatory Lymphadenitis. Also known as swollen glands, this condition occurs when the glands in the neck become enlarged and inflamed, usually in response to a bacterial or viral infection.
- SCM Tumor of infancy. This is a benign lesion of the cells inside the sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM). It is the most common neck mass in infants and usually appears between 2 and 4 weeks of age.
- Salivary gland infection. A mass can form when the salivary glands become inflamed and infected.
- Benign tumors. These masses and bumps are noncancerous growths and do not spread to other parts of the body.
Rare kinds of neck masses and bumps include:
- Lymphoma, a cancer of the lymph system
- Rhabdomypsarcoma, a cancer of the soft tissues
- Thyroid nodules or thyroid cancer, which forms on the thyroid gland at the base of the neck
Treatments include medical treatment of any infection, surgical excision to remove a bump or mass if it is impacting function or other nearby tissues or structures.