Pollution and health changes

I hear all sorts of horror stories regarding the HK air quality and one can choose to listen to all the negativity if one pleases but I'd like to just ask you all. Have you actually had a significant change in your wellbeing which can be attributed to pollution since moving to HK from a less polluted location?


More importantly, how have your children faired through it all?


Our son will be 13 months old when we move to HK and I'd like to hear your advice.


Cheers

I'm not sure if it's anything to do with pollution but I had a nose allergy when I lived in the UK (we didn't have carpets and my mother was a clean freak). This suddenly disappeared after being in HK for about 6 months and hasn't returned since. Still have no idea why.


Also, NO hay fever, which is fantastic! I could never used to enjoy the great summers in the UK as I was constantly over run wth itchy, running eyes and nose, even when I took medication.


I have two children both born in HK ( 7rs old and 22 months) and so far they haven't had any health problems like asthma etc, both are very healthy.

Both my husband and I have been in HK for about 8 years with no major health problems.

Maybe these health problems everyone is talking about will show up later in life?


My advice will be to live in areas such as Sai Kung in NT where the air quality is less polluted than most of HK.

THanks for that. We're thinking of perhaps living on south Lantau as hubby's a pilot so the commute isn't so bad. DB was another option but we want more space for our money and think that Chung Sha and all that area might offer more sqare footage for our buck.

Living in Hong Kong's pollution and expecting no problems for young (or old) kids is rather naive. The pollution does affect the body and I for one have been hit by asthma and many sinus/allergy problems. Even worse when going into some cities in China, like Chongqing for instance, where the even worse acidy pollution took my voice away (with pain and inflammation) the day before presentations!


As it was, the Chongqing doctor was very good and his 'prescription' was very simple. Keep fit (I joined the gym), use the steam bath 15mins daily (to clear sinus/head), and eat/sleep well. It works, and now asthma has receded and sinus (year round) under control. For latter, I am wanting to try nasal irrigation with salt water to really keep blocked heads away. Also will buy a facial sauna type home 'steam bath' soon to help more, but the gym 2-3 times a week works fine.


Finally, if you must live here, buy a good quality air cleaner for the house/kids room and you should be fine. But must get a good quality one, not the cheap ioniser types that put garbage into air. IQAir is the one(s) I have bought and they do work very well indeed.


Hope that helps. Pollution does hurt, but you can combat it.

Richard

Hong Kong