My 3 year old was born with asthma (full term, natural/vaginal delivery). He has pneumonia every other month (since birth), he has also had bronchiolitis (without RSV), bronchitis, H1N1, and most currently RSV. When he was two we removed his tonsil and adenoids in hopes to help his asthma symptoms. While it did decrease the amount of sinus infections he had, it did nothing to help any other area.
He is on Advair, 115/21 two puffs twice daily, and Allegra (for unknown allergies).
He has had countless chest xrays, as well as a CT scan of his lungs (when he was two), which showed atelectasis and peribronchial thickening. He was recently diagnosed with RSV (tested positive) his chest xray showed more cuffing, and no improvements in the areas of atelectasis.
Is this all normal in a child with asthma? I have friends who have children with asthma and their xrays all generally look fine. Whereas ours do not. Can cuffing and atelectasis cause long term damage? How long does it take for this to clear up? What causes scar tissue? Is it normal to have pneumonia as frequently as he does? I do own a pulse oximeter, which I use to closely monitor his o2 (normally he is 96 or above, several times a week he does drop to 91-95), usually in addition to other symtpoms of clamminess, shortness of breath, frequent/persistant coughing.
He is from a pet free, smoke free home. We have a family history of asthma and allergies.