Dangerous Signs of Mold Allergies in Children and What You Need to Do About It

Dangerous Mold Allergies

Mold allergy is a common problem that affects millions of people across the globe, particularly children. However, adults are also susceptible to mold allergy. Mold is simply a fungus that grows rapidly in thousands and requires water and warmth to grow and multiply. Research studies have shown that at least one in every three children is allergic to mold. Some of the signs and symptoms of identifying mold allergy in children include:

Respiratory problems

If your child is exposed to mold spores, he/she develops respiratory problems that are closely related to those attributed to seasonal allergies. Common respiratory problems of mold allergy include a runny nose, sneezing, and irritated eyes. Your child may also suffer from coughing and throat irritation among other problems.

When respiratory problems from mold allergy are not treated, the problems can escalate to severe illnesses such as asthma and lung infections. These problems pose a real danger and threat to the health of the child and can even result in death, in extreme cases.

Idiopathic pulmonary hemorrhage

Idiopathic Pulmonary Hemorrhage (IPH) is a severe lung condition that is predominantly present in children with serious mold allergy. IPH is characterized by acute lung bleeding that easily leads to respiratory distress when not treated in early stages. This symptom is mainly common in children with continuous mold infection for long.

It is worth noting that IPH may take longer to manifest itself and as such, it may not be noticed until very late. Due to this, it is important to take your child for regular check up in case you suspect there is mold infection in your home or place of residence.

Congestion and itchy nose

Mold allergy mostly affects the respiratory tract and therefore, most of the allergies’ symptoms are seen in this tract. For children with mold allergy, nose itchiness and congestion are common signs. When your child inhales mold spores, they cause irritations and itchiness on the internal surface of the nose. With long mold exposure, the itchiness may become too severe and cause great discomfort.

On the other hand, congestion complicates breathing making it hard for your child to breathe normally and without any difficulties whatsoever. Although congestion can go away with time, it is advisable to seek medical attention if your child is experiencing persistent nose itchiness and congestion.

There are a lot other signs and symptoms of mold allergy in children. These allergies may be similar or different from one child to the other. Most of these symptoms only last for as long as your child is exposed to mold. However, in some children, the symptoms may still continue even after mold removal and result in severe respiratory conditions like asthma.

Mold allergy signs, symptoms, and indications are used as a basis for diagnosis and positive identification of the condition. Severe mold allergies are mostly common in children and adults exposed to a large amount of mold in residential and occupational settings.

Common mold locations

The easiest and most efficient way to address mold allergies is by identifying the places where this fungus is growing around the home or place of work. Generally, molds grow in nearly all areas, both in indoor and outdoor spaces. They grow all year round and do not have a particular season for growth. Humid and warm conditions encourage mold growth.

In indoor spaces, mold grows in spaces where there is a high amount of humidity such as in bathrooms or basements. In outdoor spaces, this fungus grows in damp areas or in places where vegetation and leaves are decomposing. It is also common to see mold growth in air conditioners, humidifiers, carpets, mattresses, trash cans, and also in the kitchen.

Other areas where mold concentrations are likely to be high include farms, saunas, construction areas, summer cottages, flower shops, antique shops, and greenhouses. Children with a high susceptibility to mold allergies should avoid areas with high concentrations of this fungus.

Mold prevention

The most practical way of preventing mold is by controlling moisture. Even though it is nearly impossible to completely prevent mold growth, there are a number of ways through which you can reduce the likelihood of mold growth at home. These include:

Fixing plumbing leaks to eliminate moisture build-up in places such as kitchen, bathrooms, basements and in humidifiers. This helps in ensuring that accumulation and build up of humidity in living quarters is eliminated and thus preventing your child from suffering from mold allergies.

Ensure good airflow in the house particularly in the basement, bathroom, and kitchen. You can use exhaust fans to aerate indoor spaces thereby enhancing the flow of fresh and dry air.

Mold removal

The ultimate way of preventing mold allergies in your children is through mold removal. The removal of mold at home is hugely dependent on the amount of mold to be removed. You can remove small moldy patches (not exceeding 9 square feet) by your own. However, for large amounts of mold, it is important to hire a professional mold removal service provider.

When you identify signs of mold growth in your home, you necessarily need not have the mold tested. This is because there is no type of mold that is safe to children or any other class of people thereof. As such, you can contract a mold removal service to clean and get rid of mold from your home. These experts are not only knowledgeable in mold removal but also have the right set of equipment needed for removing mold.

How to exercise caution over mold allergies in children

Before renting or buying a home, it is important to have it tested for mold growth. This analysis and testing go a long way in averting a possible mold exposure to your children. It is always important to ensure that even when removing mold from your premises, future mold growth should be completely prevented.

The best thing about mold allergies in children is that they are not permanent conditions. These allergic reactions stop after removing your child’s exposure to mold. If your child experiences signs of mold allergies that do not seem to stop even after mold removal, it is necessary to seek medical attention.

This post is written by Danny Nguyen from MyParentingJournal.com, a blog dedicated to parenting best practices, tips, advice, and useful resources.

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