pneumonia in child returns in same spot

[i_am_who_i_am]

My son is 7 years old and has had pneumonia twice in the last 2 years. The second time they told me it returned in the exact same spot. They told me to have another xray in 6 weeks. Hes otherwise a healthy boy what would cause it to return in the same spot. I know there are probably many causes but what comes to mind?

[David Tinkelman, M.D.]

What comes to mind with your son’s history of pneumonia in the same spot is that there may be an abnormality of that specific part of your son’s lung, either congenital or acquired.  There are a number each type, not common but also not rare.  The congenital are usually the result of some type of anatomical abnormality.  The acquired:  1)caused by an infection that has resulted in permanent damage to even a small part of lung tissue that now compromises local resistance to infection (often associated with narrowing of the bronchus to that part of the lung) including abnormal mucous clearing leading to infection that may never have completely cleared or 2) aspiration of a foreign body that, in your son’s circumstance, might be something, food for example, that might not show-up on Chest X-ray.

I suggest that you and your son’s doctors consider requesting the opinion of a Pediatric Pulmonologist.

Good luck

[i_am_who_i_am]

I should also add that he had an xray about one month prior to his very first pneumonia xray. And that xray was fine.