Studies show that more than 50% of the houses from the United States of America are affected by mold. Why should this interest you? Well, if you are a parent, then you already know that your kids spend most of their time indoors, at home, at the school or at one of their friends’ house. Experts state that mold poisoning is one of the main causes of health issues in children, because exposure to the fungus can lead to complex health problems.
Actually, doctors state that mold is the #1 threat to kids worldwide. Are you surprised to find out this?
When it is mold in a house, one of the family members will definitely show signs of sickness. In the majority of cases, the children are the ones who feel the effects of this noxious fungus. Even if you cannot see mold, if it is hidden in your house, its spores will get into the air and they will cause allergic reactions. Allergies are the natural defense of the body against foreign particles, it is also a warning sign you should not ignore. The allergy can be only the first symptom of complex health issues your children can experience.
Why is mold a danger for the health of children?
Mold does not affect only children, but also adults. The symptoms in children can be worse than in adults, because they have undeveloped or weakened immune systems. Your kids enter in contact with pathogens like bacteria and viruses daily, and they suppress their immune system.
Children are more vulnerable to mold, because the immune system is developing from birth to adolescence, and theirs is not fully developed. Any threat to their health will disturb its balance and will lead to abnormal immune reactions like gut issues, inflammation, asthma and other similar conditions. They are all symptoms related to this fungus. When your children experience an adverse reaction to mold, it should not be considered an allergy, it is an immune reaction to this toxic fungus.
Children can experience respiratory problems because of mold
There is a close connection between mold and the respiratory health issues the children who are exposed to it are experiencing. When they are living in an environment affected by mold, they will start accusing respiratory issues. This should be a warning sign for you, especially if the symptoms do not pass when they are under treatment.
Here are some symptoms the little ones can experience, they are similar to the ones of seasonal allergies, but they continue even when the season ends.
- Flu-like symptoms
- Sneezing
- Wheezing
- Sore throat
- Shortness of breath
- Coughing
- Itchy nose
- Runny nose
- Nasal congestion
You should be extra careful if your children suffer from asthma, because mold spores can trigger attacks. All types of mold are dangerous for the health state of a child, but the toxic black one is the most harmful one. In case the spores will get in the sinuses, lungs and mucus membranes of the breathing system, they can lead to bleeding in the lungs and cause complicated breathing problems.
If a baby is exposed to black mold for a long period of time, they can suffer from hemorrhagic pneumonia or even death.
Children can experience neurological symptoms
Apart from respiratory problems, the kids who are spending a lot of time in a house infested by mold can experience neurological problems. Black mold can kill neurons in the brain and impair its functions. These have as effects irritability, mood swings and other similar nervous disorders. Black mold can have some of the following symptoms when it affects the neuronal system:
- Numbness
- Shaking
- Trembling
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Memory problems
- Memory loss
- Disorientation
- Dizziness
- Confusion
- Headaches
- Shortened attention span
- Slowed reflexes
Children can deal with eye irritations
In case mold spores get into contact with the eye cells of your children, then they will experience vision problems and eye inflammations. Some symptoms are blurry vision, soreness, eye inflammation, watery eyes, red or bloodshot eyes, and itchy eyes. It is important to take your children to a doctor immediately when they state they suffer from the above symptoms, because this is the only way you can prevent complex health issues.
Children can have skin irritations
Toxic mold spores can easily enter your children’s body through their skin. They have delicate skin, and they are prone to suffering from skin irritation if they expose themselves to mold. When they come into contact with the toxic fungus, you will notice that they experience rashes, itching, irritation, and other similar symptoms.
Children can die because of mold
Why is it important to have mold check and InchbyInch mold remediation? Because there are countless cases of children who died because they were exposed over long periods to mold. If your house was recently damaged by water, then there are great chances it to be infested with mold. The mycotoxins produced by mold will break your children immune system, and if you do no remove the mold, they can become very sick. As stated before, numerous health conditions are caused by mold exposure.
The most famous pediatric organizations of the world are studying the effects of mold on children, and they state that the best way to avoid this situation, is to prevent mold growth. They advise doctors to check the factors that cause a child to be sick. When kids come to the emergency room with the above symptoms they have to check if they are living in an environment exposed to mold or in a house affected by water damage.
You should not be surprised if your pediatrician asks you when the last mold check was, because they want to make sure that the condition your children experience is not caused by fungus exposure.
In case your house is infested by mold, then you should immediately search for the sources and eliminate them. Moisture is one of them, so pay attention if there are any humid spots in the house. Once the mold removal process is complete, all the symptoms will decrease and your children will feel better.
