Mold Sensitivities

Some people are sensitive to molds. For these people, exposure to molds can cause symptoms such as nasal stuffiness, eye irritation, wheezing, or skin irritation. Some people, such as those with serious allergies to molds, may have more severe reactions. Severe reactions may occur among workers exposed to large amounts of molds in occupational settings, such as farmers working around moldy hay. Severe reactions may include fever and shortness of breath. Some people with chronic lung illnesses, such as obstructive lung disease, may develop mold infections in their lungs.

In 2004 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) found there was sufficient evidence to link indoor exposure to mold with upper respiratory tract symptoms, cough, and wheeze in otherwise healthy people; with asthma symptoms in people with asthma; and with hypersensitivity pneumonitis in individuals susceptible to that immune-mediated condition. The IOM also found limited or suggestive evidence linking indoor mold exposure and respiratory illness in otherwise healthy children. Other recent studies have suggested a potential link of early mold exposure to development of asthma in some children, particularly among children who may be genetically susceptible to asthma development, and that selected interventions that improve housing conditions can reduce morbidity from asthma and respiratory allergies, but more research is needed in this regard.

What do you do if you suspect Mold?

1.  Hire a company that only does mold testing and mold inspection.
2.  Wait for the results and see if you have toxic mold. 
3.  If you do find toxic mold, hire a mold remediation company to come in and do the necessary removal.
4.  After the mold removal is completed, have your mold testing company do post testing. If you have clear results this time, your testing company will be able to issue a clean bill of health. If not, the remediation company will have to come in and finish their job.  

Health Effects of Mold Exposure

Mold Exposure Symptoms

Toxic Black Mold Syndrome

Mold and Allergies in Children

When infants are exposed to mold in the home, their risk for developing asthma more than doubles, according to a study published Tuesday in the Annals of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. The study doesn't prove mold causes asthma, but it does suggest that exposure to mold during infancy is linked to the development of chronic inflammation of the lung airways, which causes wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, and coughing.

Previous studies have shown that mold spores can travel, according to lead study author Tiina Reponen, a professor of environmental health at the University of Cincinnati. But she says this is the first study to suggest mold exposure in children under the age of one seems to play a critical role in a child developing asthma. The risk went up even more if one of the parents had asthma, according to the research.

This study is part of a larger research project called the Cincinnati Childhood Allergy and Air Pollution Study.

Researchers visited the homes of babies born in Cincinnati, Ohio, and Northern Kentucky back in 2001 to 2003, where at least one parent was allergic to at least one of 15 common airborne allergen. The homes of 176 children were inspected for mold when they were 1 and 7 years old. Half of the homes had visible mold and the other half didn't, says Reponen. All the children were offered allergy tests at age 1, 2, 3, 4 and 7.  Researchers inspected the homes by looking for and smelling for mold and also by taking dust samples from the room where each child spend most of his or her time. The dust samples then underwent DNA testing for 36 different mold species from that sample, using a standardized tool developed by the EPA.

The study authors found that if children were exposed to mold as infants, they were at a significantly increased  risk for asthma at 7 years of age.  Being exposed to mold as a child at about 7 years old, (which is when children are old enough to have proper lung-function tests to get a more accurate diagnoses), doesn't seem to predict if a child will get asthma. Neither was the presence of a dehumidifier, carpets, age of the home or visible mold.

However, Reponen says the results from the dust samples show "it's the mold you can't see that is a risk factor."

"Damp environments are not healthy environments," Dr. James Sublett, chairman of the Indoor Environments Committee for the American College of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, who was not involved with this study.

The research suggests that expectant parents or families with babies should try to eliminate any situation that can lead to mold growing.

Sublett, who is an expert on the effects of air pollution on human health and the section chief of Pediatric Allergy at the University of Louisville School of Medicine, says if you're aware of a moisture problem, get it fixed. Just because you can't see mold doesn't mean it isn't there. Moisture could be building up in the home because of a leaky roof or broken pipe, flooding in the basement, or simply from the steam in your bathroom. "If you are in a situation where humidity is trapped in your home, you have a higher risk of mold exposure." He adds that moisture can also accumulate from something as simple as an overflowing gutter or leaky windows.

Children who got asthma tended to live in homes lacking air conditioning, which can help keep moisture levels down.  According to the Environmental Protection Agency, if you can see mold, you don't need to test for it.

However, if you've had water damage and can't see any mold yet but want to be sure, the EPA suggests hiring a professional to do the testing. Sublett suggests having one expert test for mold and hiring someone else to do the clean-up if mold is found. "You want to disconnect the detection process with the fixing process to avoid a conflict of interest," he says.

If you suspect your child may have been exposed to mold and shows symptoms of asthma, Sublett suggests getting a referral to a board-certified allergist, who can evaluate potential risks a child may have been exposed to, identify which mold a child may be allergic to and develop a treatment plan.

Post by: Miriam Falco - CNN Medical Managing Editor Filed under: Asthma • Children's Health New Day Homes specializes in Mold Inspections in the Magnolia Texas area area.

Buying a Home, Get a Mold Test

EVERY HOME SHOULD BE TESTED FOR MOLD

According to Dr. John D. Shane, Vice President of Laboratory services of PRO-LAB millions of homes across America have hidden water leaks that are promoting mold growth that can expose homeowners to mold spores.  Mold has a potential to cause health problems like allergies, irritation (to lungs, eyes, skin, throat, nose) and are potentially toxic.  Inhaling and touching mold spores may cause allergic reactions in sensitive individuals and normally healthy individuals may become sensitive to mold after exposure.

The EPA states that, "It is important to take precautions to limit your exposure to mold and mold spores. Avoid breathing in mold or mold spores". The EPA also recommends that if you suspect you have a hidden mold problem you should consider hiring an experienced professional to avoid exposure to potentially massive doses of mold spores.

Mold damages what it grows on. The longer it grows the more damage it can cause. If there is a mold problem in your home, you should clean up the mold promptly.  Mold can be hidden, growing on the water from a hidden leak, and can develop into a potentially large problem if not caught in time.

Testing your home on a regular basis is a prudent way to prevent small problems from growing into a costly and unhealthy situation, and always avoid exposing yourself and others to mold.

From Buying a home? Get a mold test. - InterNACHI http://www.nachi.org/testformold.htm#ixzz2OlR6KjJU

New Day Homes specializes in Mold Inspections in the Magnolia Texas area  area.

Mold and Your Health

Exposure to airborne mold spores can occur through inhalation, ingestion or skin contact, and can result in symptoms including dermatitis, cough, rhinitis, nose bleeds, cold and flu symptoms, headache, general malaise and fever.

Molds are organized into three groups according to human responses: Allergenic, Pathogenic and Toxigenic.

• Allergenic Molds - Allergenic molds do not usually produce life-threatening health effects and are most likely to affect those with allergies. The body's responses to allergenic mold tend to be relatively mild, depending on individual sensitivities and allergies. Typical symptoms include:
  • Scratchy, Sore or Itchy Throat
  • Nasal Congestion
  • Runny Nose
  • Sneezing
  • Coughing and Wheezing
  • Shortness of Breath/Breathing Difficulties
  • Asthma Flares
  • Itchy or Watery Eyes
  • Sensitive or Itchy Skin
  • Skin Rash
  These can lead to uncomfortable living situations for some if concentrations are present in the air or on surfaces.

• Pathogenic Molds - Pathogenic molds usually produce some type of infection. They can cause serious health effects in persons with suppressed immune systems. Healthy people can usually resist infection by these organisms. However, in some cases, high exposure can cause hypersensitivity and infection with those who are seemingly healthy.
• Toxigenic Molds - While a toxic mold is living and growing, toxic metabolites called mycotoxins are produced. Exposure to this chemical compound by other organisms can be harmful. The health effects of  mycotoxin exposure to humans can vary, ranging from short-term bodily irritation and allergenic reaction to lung infection, a weakened immune system, cancer or even death. Initial awareness of adverse health effects from exposure to  mycotoxins was raised by a mid-1990's study from Cleveland, Ohio, involving infants who had died from sudden and unexplained pulmonary hemorrhage (bleeding of the lungs). Upon investigation, researchers found that the infants resided in homes with high levels of the mold Stachybotrysatra were prone to serious health effects. Therefore, when the presence of  toxigenic mold is suspected within a property, inspection and testing is advised. Furthermore, when such mold and/or mycotoxins are identified, remedial action is highly recommended.

Mold and health concerns go hand in hand. The medical and legal communities are now taking mold contamination very seriously. There are a number of documented cases of health effects and physical problems resulting from indoor exposure to mold and mold spores. Mold related illnesses can result from high level/short-term exposures and lower level/long-term exposures. The most common health effects or symptoms reported from exposure to indoor mold environments are a chronic clearing of the throat, runny nose, eye irritation, cough, congestion and aggravation of asthma — allergic reactions similar to cat allergies — headache and fatigue. Mold related health effects are often reported as feeling like you have a cold but you don't. Eventually it may feel like you have the flu but you don't. Many of our customers report feeling better when they leave their home for a week or more. Once they arrive back within a day or so they are ill again.

With so much overwhelming evidence to support the dangers of exposure to mold, mold testing is the first step in properly assessing whether an abnormal or elevated mold condition exists.

New Day Homes specializes in Mold Inspections in the Magnolia Texas area  area.