Look up pictures of parotitis. Does it look like that? Could also be a lymph node.

When this happened to my kid he had strep throat.

When this happened to my kid he had strep throat.

my daughter had this and I was surprised to find out that it can be a pretty emergent medical situation. I would definitely call your pediatrician. Hers was a blocked salivary gland. He suggested lemon drops or sour candy, warm compresses, rubbing it, and we ended up having to do a course of antibiotics. Sent us to an ENT who followed her every 6 months for a few years because she had a few more episodes. He gave us a rx for abx to keep at home in case it happened over a weekend. I don't think it is cause for freaking out necessarily but I also wouldn't let it go too long before getting it checked out. in the mean time sour patch kids for breakfast!

Is it right below the ear, kind of the spot that you move when you are trying to pop your ears? You have nodes there that can get swollen. I had a swollen one a few weeks ago. It was really painful. I took Advil and some Allegra and it helped. Went down after 2 days.

DD woke up this morning with the area below her ear in her side jaw/neck area that was slightly swollen. I am freaking out, has this happened to anyone? I will of course do my research and make a doctor's appt. if it gets worse. Anyone know what this could be? Is it just a swollen gland?