There are people who have allergies all over the world and no matter what the allergy may be, anyone with one will tell you just how much of an inconvenience it tends to be. Symptoms usually show themselves the most often during the early spring through the late fall, whether it is an allergy to grass, pollen, or mold. Pet dander can be a problem with some individuals and this is one of the only allergies that is really only an inconvenience year round. Molds living in your home can also aggravate your allergies and even bring about new ones and are also one of the only allergies that are a threat the whole year, since molds that live indoors do not freeze like those outside.
A high mold spore level in your home can do a lot to aggravate your already existing allergies and can even cause an allergy to the specific kind of mold living in your home to develop. The symptoms from mold exposure can range from a common episode of sneezing or a runny nose all the way to a reaction that requires an ambulance. Children and elderly people in particular need to pay careful attention to the level of their allergen that they expose themselves to every day. Watch the news for each of the pollen, mold spore, and grass counts. If the counts are high for that day, consider not letting children or elderly people with allergies or respiratory conditions go out that day.
If you have mold allergies and think you are having symptoms, you should avoid eating foods that contain mold, such as cheeses that are made with it, bread, beer, and even other funguses like mushrooms. All of these can make your symptoms even worse.
Most types of mold in the world are not harmful to human beings and while there are a few different ones that can cause serious medical conditions, only a few tend to cause allergic reactions immediately. The most common molds that produce allergic reactions are those in the Penicillium, Alternaria, and Clasosporium genii.
If you are concerned about mold living in your home, you should do your best to reduce the humidity level in it. Keeping your home bone dry is not practical, since air that is too dry can also cause problems like nosebleeds, but keeping it at a healthy medium is best for all. A home that is too moist inside is a breeding ground for mold.
Friday, January 18, 2008
Child Mold Exposure Symptoms
If your home contains almost any kind of mold, your children and pets are probably going to be the first ones that show symptoms, especially if they have any allergies or respiratory conditions like asthma or become sick easily. If you notice your child having any trouble with his or her respiratory system and cannot seem to find the cause, checking your household for mold growth might be a good idea.
The symptoms of mold exposure are typically very similar to allergy symptoms, so you may initially mistake them for the symptoms of the child’s allergies. Your child’s pediatrician may claim that it is just seasonal allergies, but in reality, it may be your home that has the issue. Persistent respiratory symptoms like sneezing, hoarseness, rhinitis, eye irritation, and blocked noses can occur as well as dry coughing, productive coughing, and sometimes wheezing. Skin symptoms such as itching and redness also tend to arise in certain uncovered areas of the body, which suggests that the child has touched the growth.
Other symptoms like fever, joint pain, headaches, and excessive tiredness have also been reported. Your child also may show an intolerance to certain foods like mushrooms, bread, and cheeses, while older members of your household may show intolerance to things like wine and beer. Children that are in high-exposure mold conditions such as where the toxic mold Stachybotrys are concerned can exhibit things such as hemoptysis and nose bleeds.
Children in homes containing mold may also show more intolerance to things like cigarette smoke or household chemicals that emit vapors into the air.
If your child does not have any known allergies and they are showing these symptoms with no readily apparent cause, have your home tested for mold by hiring a professional or performing a do it yourself test.
If your home does have mold growth, your child needs to be removed from the area as soon as possible and relocated until the growth is removed. You should realize that even dead mold growth can cause allergic reactions and that until it is removed, your child’s health is at significant risk.
Any items in your home that have become moldy, especially if it is children’s toys such as stuffed animals or bedding, will need to be thrown away. Do not allow children to play with items that have been exposed to flood waters or mold growth.
The symptoms of mold exposure are typically very similar to allergy symptoms, so you may initially mistake them for the symptoms of the child’s allergies. Your child’s pediatrician may claim that it is just seasonal allergies, but in reality, it may be your home that has the issue. Persistent respiratory symptoms like sneezing, hoarseness, rhinitis, eye irritation, and blocked noses can occur as well as dry coughing, productive coughing, and sometimes wheezing. Skin symptoms such as itching and redness also tend to arise in certain uncovered areas of the body, which suggests that the child has touched the growth.
Other symptoms like fever, joint pain, headaches, and excessive tiredness have also been reported. Your child also may show an intolerance to certain foods like mushrooms, bread, and cheeses, while older members of your household may show intolerance to things like wine and beer. Children that are in high-exposure mold conditions such as where the toxic mold Stachybotrys are concerned can exhibit things such as hemoptysis and nose bleeds.
Children in homes containing mold may also show more intolerance to things like cigarette smoke or household chemicals that emit vapors into the air.
If your child does not have any known allergies and they are showing these symptoms with no readily apparent cause, have your home tested for mold by hiring a professional or performing a do it yourself test.
If your home does have mold growth, your child needs to be removed from the area as soon as possible and relocated until the growth is removed. You should realize that even dead mold growth can cause allergic reactions and that until it is removed, your child’s health is at significant risk.
Any items in your home that have become moldy, especially if it is children’s toys such as stuffed animals or bedding, will need to be thrown away. Do not allow children to play with items that have been exposed to flood waters or mold growth.
Child Mold Allergy Problems
Allergies are an inconvenience for everyone who has them and there are billions of people in the world who suffer from them every day. Whether it is an allergy to pollen, grass, pet dander, or mold, the symptoms are usually about the same. They can be anything from a runny nose and a pair of itchy eyes all the way to swelling of the face and neck or even the entire body. Most allergy symptoms are only prevalent from the spring to fall, but allergies that are caused by things like pet dander and mold show themselves the whole year because they are not related to the outdoor growing season.
Mold living in your home does not freeze and lie dormant like it does in the outdoor environment and can pose a serious health risk for anyone, not just those members of your household that have allergies. People that have allergies, however, are more likely to feel the affects of mold exposure sooner than the rest of us. Mold exposure tends to aggravate allergies and respiratory conditions that already exist, like emphysema or asthma. You need to be particularly careful if you have an infant or a small child in your house when there is mold, since their immune systems are currently still very much in development. Disturbing this natural development process can damage the child’s immune system irreparably, so removing your child from this situation until the mold is removed is the best thing to do.
Infants exposed to mold have been known to develop a disease known as hemorrhagic pneumonia (bleeding in the lungs) and many times this ends in death.
Those who have allergies and are exposed to mold growth in the home or elsewhere will usually show an intolerance to certain foods that contain fungi, such as yeast, mushrooms, or mold. Cheeses such as blue cheese or Roquefort, bread, beer, mushrooms, and etcetera will typically make the normal allergy symptoms of the person even worse.
Note if the symptoms lessen or go away completely if you leave the home. This will be a sign that there is a problem in the home that is causing the symptoms to become worse and you may need to call a professional mold inspector if there is no visible mold issue.
Coming into direct skin contact with the mold will often leave rashes on even those who are not allergic. Take a good look around your house, especially in areas that are inherently moist like the bathroom, kitchen, basement, or laundry room. These are the areas that are most likely to harbor mold growth in your home.
Mold living in your home does not freeze and lie dormant like it does in the outdoor environment and can pose a serious health risk for anyone, not just those members of your household that have allergies. People that have allergies, however, are more likely to feel the affects of mold exposure sooner than the rest of us. Mold exposure tends to aggravate allergies and respiratory conditions that already exist, like emphysema or asthma. You need to be particularly careful if you have an infant or a small child in your house when there is mold, since their immune systems are currently still very much in development. Disturbing this natural development process can damage the child’s immune system irreparably, so removing your child from this situation until the mold is removed is the best thing to do.
Infants exposed to mold have been known to develop a disease known as hemorrhagic pneumonia (bleeding in the lungs) and many times this ends in death.
Those who have allergies and are exposed to mold growth in the home or elsewhere will usually show an intolerance to certain foods that contain fungi, such as yeast, mushrooms, or mold. Cheeses such as blue cheese or Roquefort, bread, beer, mushrooms, and etcetera will typically make the normal allergy symptoms of the person even worse.
Note if the symptoms lessen or go away completely if you leave the home. This will be a sign that there is a problem in the home that is causing the symptoms to become worse and you may need to call a professional mold inspector if there is no visible mold issue.
Coming into direct skin contact with the mold will often leave rashes on even those who are not allergic. Take a good look around your house, especially in areas that are inherently moist like the bathroom, kitchen, basement, or laundry room. These are the areas that are most likely to harbor mold growth in your home.
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