Child with multiple lung problems, no answers from doctors.

[alyssavallier]

My 4 year old daughter has had pneumonia all her life, now she had developed athma, no big surprise. She see her lung specialist regularly and we do every thing they say to do. I have all but given up hope that she will ever be a normal functioning little girl. I need help, nobody is giving me answers and nobody is helping her with this. Does any body know of a doctor that is capable of knowing what to do.

[Victoireh]

Has her specialist looked into reasons for her repeated pneumonia infections? Is her immune system working up to par? Because once lung damage sets in, then the person is set up for life long lung disease. And for young children who have much smaller airways, which may heal themselves, but they will be left with "small" lungs. I've been told by my specialist that the larger your lungs are for your size, then more extra capacity you can afford to lose due to damage. Your prognosis over the long term is better. Apparently mine are huge for my height, but I do still feel the effects of altered airways.

The best you can do is make sure she is under the care of a pulmonary specialist who can give her the best care her lungs need to function in the long run. Especially now that she has asthma to complicate the ongoing infections. Has she been allergy tested? My daughter has a fair number of allergies and she suffered a lot with asthma as a result, so when she was 9 years old we started doing weekly shots to desensitize the immune system. Now in her teens she is doing well. Apparently the presence of all those hormones when they hit puberty seems to have an effect on the asthma and now she has very mild intermittent asthma. A lot of children will even out grow it. But the allergy shots at least reduce the amount of medicines that they are on and reduces their symptoms, which gives them better quality of life.

Hope this helps a bit.

[alyssavallier]

We have been to many doctors/pulmonary specialists and no one can get this under control. They say that the smaller air ways are blocked or to small for air to flow through. She has thinkening of the lungs in two spots and asthma is an every day thing. We can not go out side with out an inhaler because the cold air is a big trigger. I can't get her doctors to refer us to an immune specialist they seem to want to do this their way but their way is not working and we are go on 4 years of in and out of the hospitals. I am getting to the point of frustration!

[Debser]

Have you tried acupuncture. Sometimes alternative treatment can help where standard treatment doesn't work. It was incredible for my son. But find someone who comes recommended. Don't give up, and good luck