Scared my 6yo has skin cancer

[Worried 24/7]

My daughter has a dark mole on her back. It has been there at least a year I think, if not longer. It has gotten slightly more oval I noticed a while back but still defined edges. Then the other night she was complaining how she didn't like it and was picking at it. I looked at it and it has a red bump in the middle of it. This completely threw me into full on I JUST KNOW MY DAUGHTER HAS MELANOMA mode. She told me she picks at it all the time, so I'm hoping the red bump is because she has picked the bejeezus out of the mole for who knows how long now. I have made an appointment to have it looked at in a couple days, but I'm hoping someone on here can help me calm down. From googling (which I know I shouldn't do) it appears that it would be pretty rare for a six year old to have melanoma based on US statistics. But I'm completely convinced I am going to lose my little girl to the big C. I can't seem to calm down the last couple days. Also I'm pretty sure even a week ago it looked normal.... I included a picture of said mole... I know no one is a doctor, but if anyone out there has ever caused a mole to look weird due to picking at it, I'd love to hear about it....

[Worried 24/7]

Just realized the picture is blurry...

[uru]

Can 6 year olds get skin cancer? It must be incredibly rare.

---------- Post added at 05:32 ---------- Previous post was at 05:19 ----------

I'm not expert but the skin cancer I've seen is usually irregular shaped and that looks very regular with clearly defined borders. It's symmetrical. The colour looks fairly constant too.

Is it itchy or bleeding?

I had a mole on my thigh that I would constantlyy pick. It stuck out a bit and would get caught in clothes too. It never really bothered me but eventually I think I picked it off.

[Worried 24/7]

From what I've read its rare but I'm still scared....she said it itches but I don't know if it's actually the mole itself. Her skin is really dry from the weather. And I've never seen it bleed. I have to be up in an hour and I haven't been to sleep :(

[Worried 24/7]

I spent all day crying and feeling emotionally oUT of control.... I am both dreading and looking forward to her appointment tomorrow....

[MyNameIsTerry]

In your country melanomas are 9X more likely in the 10-20 age group. Melanoma is a less common form of skin cancer and having HA it's the one you are likely to zoom in on and worry about when there are 2 forms of much more easily treated skin cancers that are far more common. And thats only if it is, it is very likely it isn't.

My dad had a lump develop in the lower section of his back and he had to have it removed. It was nothing but it was doing a lot of rubbing on his clothes hence being irritated. I wonder if it has been irritating your daughter hence the scratching because moles tend to be hairy and sometimes itch?

[uru]

Even in thenincrediblY unlikely event it is cancer, the survival rates are massive. Childhood cancer of all types has a 82% survival rate.

[Worried 24/7]

Her appointment is in a couple hours.... she says she tries to pick it off often so I'm all hoping the red bump is some kind of irritation.... I feel like I'm going crazy :(

[uru]

Did you have cancer?
Did you have herpes?
Did you have Ramsey hunt syndrome ?
Did you have hives?
Did you have oral HPV?
Did your daughter have meningitis or sepsis?


Relax :) history tells us everything is going to be OK.

[Worried 24/7]

I know, but my HA tells me this time will be different :( I appreciate the encouragement

---------- Post added at 21:19 ---------- Previous post was at 21:13 ----------

I have had this horrible feeling of dread ever since I saw her mole has changed and I just picture the worst in my head all day. I was bawling my eyes out at work last night. I need support right now because I literally feel on the edge of a nervous breakdown. I can't remember feeling this bad in a long time if ever.....

[Fishmanpa]

I know, but my HA tells me this time will be different :(

Your HA is lying to you! She'll be fine. "she says she tries to pick it off often" She's picking the heck out of it is all.

Positive thoughts

[Worried 24/7]

I am contemplating getting on some type of anti anxiety medication... I worry all the time and it's eating me up. I feel so helpless and scared all the time. I'm so tired of feeling like this. On top of it I think I have bronchitis(no, for real) so I feel massively horrible and worn out.... Tis the season to completely fall apart I guess....

---------- Post added at 21:51 ---------- Previous post was at 21:34 ----------

Also when I tell myself to just not worry until I have actual information, I start thinking, no every other time you have worried yourself half to death and it's been nothing, so if you DON'T worry this time, it WILL be something.... I feel crazy

[Fishmanpa]

We all need a little help sometime. I have a non-SSRI "chill pill" that I can take when things get too difficult and it helps. Whether it's meds or therapy doesn't really matter. It's what helps you. It's certainly worth a discussion with your doctor.

Positive thoughts

[Worried 24/7]

The doctor said it looked benign and picked at bUT referred her to a dermatologist to have him double check.... I am trying to feel at ease

[Sparkling_Fairy]

A doctor can't tell you anyway. I had a big mole on my breast for years! I tried removing it with apple cider vinegar (NEVER AGAIN) and it obviously changed the colour of the mole.
I eventually went to my GP who measured and referred me to a dermatologist because he doesn't know enough about moles. The dermatologist took one look at it and said: it's sun damage. I was like: there??? That's always covered! And he said: your skin is just very sensitive to sun. But it's not harmful.
I'm covered in moles anyway. I just have that type of skin.

So don't fret about being referred. That's standard practice 'cause a doctor can't make that call.
And in a 6-year old, I highly doubt anything is wrong! Could be slight sun damage if she has sensitive skin, could just be a plain and simple mole. But honestly, I wouldn't worry at all

[Worried 24/7]

I'm not worried about the referral. I'm glad he referred her for my peace of mine if nothing else. I am just hoping I can take comfort in his saying it doesn't look sinister to him. I usually feel okay at first and then I start thinking things like, well he doesn't know what he's talking about, he's not a dermatologist, maybe it's something really bad and he's just stupid......

[uru]

It's interesting that once you got the cancer thing sorted out your HA jumped to bronchitis.

Perhaps worry is your way of trying to ward off bad things from happening?

[Worried 24/7]

The bronchitis isn't my HA, I've had it diagnosed the last two winters. I'm coughing nonstop and it's a really deep cough. I'm sure that's what it is

---------- Post added at 08:53 ---------- Previous post was at 08:51 ----------

Everyone around me talks about how bad my cough is

[uru]

Oh right! Apologies!

[Worried 24/7]

Are u being sarcastic or literal?

[uru]

Are u being sarcastic or literal?

Literal.

[Worried 24/7]

Oh, ok. Lol I'm off to the Urgent Care to get that taken care of. Hopefully I will feel better soon

[Worried 24/7]

Back to panicking and thinking the doctor is incompetent. .... :(

[Worried 24/7]

Still worried. ....mind going crazy.....can get her in to the dermatologist til almost march

[Worried 24/7]

I posted this back in December, I am seeing slight changes in her mole and despite reading that only 70 children will be diagnosed with Melanoma this year in the US, I am losing my freaking mind. I literally feel like I am going to have a mental breakdown. I am so sure it's cancer and that I am going to lose my little girl. I feel crazy...I don't know who to talk to and I feel like crying. I need someone to talk to , please......

[Fishmanpa]

What did the dermatologist say? Is he still picking at it? Have you spoken to your GP about meds or therapy?

Positive thoughts

[Worried 24/7]

She can't get in to a dermatologist until the end of February. She said she hasn't been picking at it at all. I have no GP right now and my insurance won't cover me anymore because we make too much. I can't hardly function right now

[Fishmanpa]

This seems like one of those times where no amount of reassurance will help. I see it far too often here. 100 people could tell you it will be fine but you're in such a spiral that it won't help :(

I'm sure all will be fine. I hope you feel better soon.

Good luck and as always

Positive thoughts

[Worried 24/7]

How do you know when you are overreacting and when you are right......

[Fishmanpa]

How do you know when you are overreacting and when you are right......

When you post something like this:


I am seeing slight changes in her mole and despite reading that only 70 children will be diagnosed with Melanoma this year in the US, I am losing my freaking mind. I literally feel like I am going to have a mental breakdown. I am so sure it's cancer and that I am going to lose my little girl. I feel crazy...I don't know who to talk to and I feel like crying. I need someone to talk to , please......

It lends itself to being irrational and overreacting. 70 out of 74 million children in the US.. a .0001% chance.... Yes, that's overreacting.

Positive thoughts

[Worried 24/7]

I just feel like it feels different this time. Like I know it's the worst and no one will listen to me. Then I start thinking that any pain she has had lately is due to the cancer I'm sure she has. That the seizures she started having are because she has cancer. I think "Well some child out there is one of those 70, what if it's mine???" I just don't know what the hell to do with myself right now.....

---------- Post added at 08:43 ---------- Previous post was at 07:43 ----------

This is what I have found upon researching:

US pop: 320,090,857 people
Melanoma cases predicted for 2016: 76,380
Percentage of Melanoma cases that are pediatric: 4%
Percentage of pediatric melanoma cases under age of ten: 10%

This all factors up to her having a .000001% chance of having melanoma.

I don't play the lottery because I think it's absurd to think I would possibly win those odds. The odds of winning the lottery are so bad, yet I believe she has a cancer that one in a million and some people get.....