Reocurring Pneumonia in Child

[matilton]

My child is now 4 1/2 years old.  He has been diagnosed with asthma.  But he has had Pneumonia over and over and over.  Recently he has had Pneumonia two times in the last 5 weeks.  And Six weeks before that he had Pneumonia and this has been his life over and over and over.  Daily, he takes Singular and advir.  When he begins coughing we add albuterol (by inhaler with mask).  When he becomes more sick we use the nebulizer, add prelone or pediapred and when he runs a fever we go to the doctor and get an antibiotic (Because their diagnosis is usually Pneumonia).  I am in touch with a pediatric lung specialist, she has altered his medications and sent a device that he blows in when sick.  My question remains, why is he continuing to be sick and get Pneumonia?

[National Jewish]

The best advice I can give is that your son be seen by a pediatric pulmonologist.  This lung specialist will evaluate the nature of his pneumonias.  Generally there is something else causing the pneumonia when it occurs so often.  This could be due to a weakened immune system.  Another cause could be aspiration.  This is the entry of foreign materials, including food and gastric contents, into the windpipe.  Another potential reason is that this is not recurrent pneumonia, but rather his asthma or some other chronic lung condition.  To prevent further pneumonias the cause will need to be found and treated.  Please read our Pneumonia MedFact at http://www.nationaljewish.org/medfacts/pneumonia.html for more information.
If you are not helped locally and would like to discuss a possible evaluation here at National Jewish please call the Lungline at 1-800-222-5864.