Asthma sucks...but does it suck more in Taiwan?

Taiwan Parenting
#1

This past Labour Day long weekend (in North America), I decided to take the family to Montreal for a last bit of vacationing before school started. Unfortunately, when we arrived in Montreal, my older boy started to cough. It only got worse overnight and by morning, he had started to wheeze. He’s now four years old and has had asthma since the age of one, so we were not too concerned as we had all his medication on hand. However, as the morning went on, he did not improve even with his puffers, was low on energy, and was generally ill looking. So we decided to cut the vacation short and head home immediately. Upon arriving back in town - a 2 hour drive - we headed for the hospital because it seemed as if his situation had deteriorated. He had to be admitted overnight, the first time this has ever happened. It is excruciating to watch your child with an oxygen mask on.

All this has got me thinking how he would fare in Taiwan, with all its pollution, should I go ahead and pursue my idea of moving to Hsinchu.

How many of you or your kids have asthma before arriving in Taiwan? And how did you/they fare?

#2

Our 10yo has problems in the winter - not because of the pollution but because the winter’s high humidity leads to lots of mould and that sets her off. Stinking hot summer days with purple pollution haze: no problems.

#3

My asthma is a lot milder than it used to be in NZ. Asthma is all about allergies, and it’s much more likely to be triggered by grasses and pollens than pollution. Just avoid damp housing that attracts dust mites.

Brian

#4

Asthma is likely to be triggered by whatever triggers it, not necessarily grass or pollens. Anyone painting, for example, near my wife will bring on an asthma attack, but grass pollen makes no difference, and her asthma was far better when we were living in the British countryside.

Getting decent medication here will be a problem but not impossible. It really depends what you’re on at home.

Be aware that hospitals here don’t really do “emergencies” and you are in danger of dying of asphyxiation whilst signing the millions of forms required in order to be admitted to A&E during an asthma attack. I nearly floored a doctor in a hospital here as he ignored my wife who was turning blue. You are far better off getting your own nebuliser and stuff to inject into it in the event of an attack. My experience of A&E here is that it’s all very laid back and we’ll get round to you shortly.

Presumably your company is providing private expat medical insurance, so you shouldn’t have a problem getting the medicine your son requires. I can’t imagine the pollution here is that good for any of us, but all I know is that with the correct drugs and dosage my wife’s asthma is controlled fine. Dunno about Hsinzhu though. Do they have hospitals out there?

#5

Right now, my sons are on Ventolin and Flovent (blue and orange) puffers. They do not require injections of any kind.

If I do move to Taiwan, it won’t be as an expat employee with my current employer. I will be looking for work with one of the hi-tech giants in Hsinchu. I don’t know what kind of health benefits these companies provide. I guess it’ll be high on my priority list of things to ask.

On a related note, are schools in general aware of issues related to asthma? If I leave medication at the school, will teachers know what to do with it and how to detect if a child is having breathing difficulties?

#6

Our kids have problems in the winter as well, but winters are very dry here. The problem is not the humidity, but the fact winter weather forces all buildings to become almost air tight due to indoor heating, which means germs gets passed more easily from kid to kid. My sons’ asthma are typically triggered by colds.

Since Taiwan does not require indoor heating, perhaps this may not be as big of a problem. :idunno:

#7

They don’t have indoor heating (typically) but it can be cold in the winter so that you actually want to heat the place, usually by means of electric heaters.
In the summer you will probably want to run the air-cons to cool the place and reduce the humidity but this may cause the air to become very dry.

#8

Just got this article in my e-mail 5 minutes ago regarding kids and asthma. Thought that I’d pass it on:

parentcenter.babycenter.com/news … 4581#story

#9

For humidity in winter a dehumidifier or two will be fine. You will need heating. Internal temperatures can drop to 10-13 degrees C otherwise.

#10

10-13 deg. C! That’s almost t-shirt weather here! :wink: I know I know…the wet kinda cold is different…

The thing is, when I was a kid and had asthma, my parents were told by the doctor to move to a drier climate and my asthma should improve. It did. Now when my kids gets asthma in the winter, when it’s very dry, my doctor tells me to turn on the humidifier. Boy am I confused…

#11

[quote=“sjcma”]10-13 deg. C! That’s almost t-shirt weather here! :wink: I know I know…the wet kinda cold is different…

The thing is, when I was a kid and had asthma, my parents were told by the doctor to move to a drier climate and my asthma should improve.[/quote]
Have you tried living near the ocean? Did help with my allergies (hayfever).

It’s probably too dry then, though admittedly finding the right balance / place (not too humid, not too dry) is rather difficult where you have 4 seasons.

#12

[quote=“Rascal”][quote=“sjcma”]10-13 deg. C! That’s almost t-shirt weather here! :wink: I know I know…the wet kinda cold is different…

The thing is, when I was a kid and had asthma, my parents were told by the doctor to move to a drier climate and my asthma should improve.[/quote]
Have you tried living near the ocean? Did help with my allergies (hayfever).[/quote]
I was born in Kaohsiung and stayed there until age 8, full blown asthma and all. So allergies to hayfever was apparently not a trigger for me. Some of my most intensive asthma attacks came when I was spending time in Hualien, where we stayed three blocks away from the ocean.