Pneumonia and asthma...8 years old.

My daughter is 8 years old and since she's been 2 she has had pneumonia 12 times now. Most recently diagnosed today. She was diagnosed with asthma 1 year ago and put on an inhaler as needed which seemed to help because it was the longest she went without pneumonia. It's a pretty regular thing that she can't just get a cold...24 hours after a stuffy nose, she has pneumonia. After the xray today, it was kind of scary because the doctor was amazed by how much scar tissue is on her lungs. My question is, how do I help her not get pneumonia anymore...and is this scar tissue going to have an affect on her living a normal life? One doctor told me about a year and a half ago that her lungs couldn't take much more of this but didn't offer any suggestions except the inhaler. Help, I'm so worried about her.

[Victoireh]

Having pneumonia 12 times in 6 years is a red flag as far as I"m concerned. Did they check her immune system, to see if it's performing well? And what about other lung diseases, like cystic fibrosis? A simple sweat test would rule that one out. And what about GERD, or anything cause for aspiration into the lungs? Does she have bronchiectasis now? Does she see a pulmonary specialist? This is very serious, having all that lung damage could very well reduce her lung capacity in the future to the point that she has a chronic disease. Also The damage to the lungs will promote more inflammation and mucous buildup, so that she stays stuck in this vicious cycle of getting pneumonia or any other lung infection for that matter. If she is already seeing a pulmonary specialist, you should send her to another one for a second opinion and better treatment. She needs treatment to prevent the reoccurrence of infection and that is more then just inhalers.