Toxic Mold And Your Children: What Are The Effects?

Toxic Mold And Your Children: What Are The Effects? Related Information:

Did you know that most people spend an average of 90% of their time indoors? It might be hard to believe, but people nowadays spend the cast majority of their time indoors. We like to think that our homes are healthy places to live and to raise our families, and we think that our offices are safe to work in; but just how safe are they really? Molds and other fungi can adversely affect your health in these ways:

  • Allergy
  • Infection
  • Toxicity

Exposure to mold is not healthy for anyone. Therefore, you always want to avoid it. However you’ll want to remember that the following individuals are at a higher risk than others: infants, children, elderly, immune compromised patients, pregnant women, individuals with existing respiratory conditions and allergies. For these cases it’s a good idea to take extra precautions to avoid exposure.

Airborne toxic mold spores can affect your immune or nervous system, liver, kidneys, blood and can even in more extreme cases, cause brain damage. With so much compelling evidence that enough mold can kill people, how much mold is acceptable to you? What’s clear here and what’s key rests on the fact that spores are airborne.

Everyone is exposed to mold in outdoor air, but exposure to indoor molds can accelerate aggravated conditions for some, while for others it remains unnoticeable. Some molds are more hazardous than others, which makes identification important. For some people, a small number of mold spores can cause severe health problems; while for others, it may take many more to rouse a reaction.

Mold spores often cause adverse reactions, much like pollen from plants. Some molds (particularly toxic ones) can trigger instant and uncontrollable vomiting in mold-sensitive people. For this reason, those who tend not to deal well with substances of this nature generally take greater precautions, specifically from exposure to mold spores.

There are many symptoms of mold exposure. As a rule, the extent of symptoms depends on the sensitivity of the person that’s been exposed. Allergic reactions are the most common and typically include:

  • chronic clogged throat
  • wheezing and difficulty breathing
  • nasal and sinus congestion
  • burning, watery, reddened eyes or blurry vision
  • sore throat and dry cough
  • nose and throat irritation
  • shortness of breath
  • nausea
  • skin irritation

Other less common effects are: nervous system problems (headaches, memory loss, moodiness); aches and pains; and fever. If you have any of these symptoms, and they are reduced or completely gone when you leave the suspect area, chances are you have been exposed to some sort of allergen, quite possibly mold. If there is notable frequency to your exposures, it’s a good idea to have someone check out the problem. It’s advised to then see your doctor and have a professional come to asses the extent of mold growth.