Headaches, Children Disabilities - Household Molds

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Mold is not an uncommon problem in most homes. We've all seen that icky black "stuff" growing between the tiles around the bathtub when we've put off cleaning for too long. But there's some mold that can hide inside your house and make your family sick: toxic mold.

A Hidden Danger
Susan and Michael Chick from Round Rock, Texas suffered from mild health problems since moving into their new home in 1998. Michael battled several cases of the flu, as well as sinus problems and migraines. Susan, who became pregnant right after moving into the house, suffered from the same, as well as some other aches and pains, but attributed them to pregnancy. In April 2001, after having a heat pump replaced, their symptoms got worse. Michael's headaches increased, he developed muscle aches, had a hard time concentrating, and suffered from short-term memory problems. Susan's problems increased as well.

"I started having a lot of muscle aches and very bad fatigue -- to the point of having trouble functioning," she says. "I had concentration problems and short-term memory problems." Susan could no longer concentrate enough to work on her Web development hobby, and had to carry a pen and pad of paper everywhere she went so she could write things down. Sometimes she would walk into a room and not know why she was there.

To what do the Chicks attribute the deterioration of their health? "When they pulled it (the heat pump) out, they showed us how it was clogged with mold," says Susan. Later Susan would find out what type of mold was growing in her home: Stachybotrys, plus 11 other types of dangerous mold.

Susan and Michael weren't the only ones affected. Their two children, Seth, 4 ½, and William, 15 months, also developed severe health problems. Seth was 2 ½ when the Chicks moved into the new house. Not long after, he developed pneumonia; echolalia, an autistic trait of repeating words; and had an allergic reaction to penicillin where he broke out in hives, ran a fever, and had joint swelling in the legs and arms so bad in the arms and legs that he couldn't walk. Two weeks after the reactions, the Chicks had to rush Seth to the emergency room. By the age of 3, Seth started having speech problems.

"It seems he had stopped developing and he was babbling a lot when he talked," says Susan. "Then by 3 ½, his speech had not gotten any better and he was having trouble playing with other children." After more tests, it was determined that Seth would need "educational support" for a number of years from an occupational therapist. Seth's brother, William -- who was born in the house -- suffered from neurological problems from birth, including sensory planning and processing problems, low muscle tone, as well as reflux. Due to his low muscle tone, he was not doing age-appropriate skills -- at 9 months, he was still not rolling over.

Symptoms of Mold Exposure
According to Carolyn Gorman, a health educator for 20 years who is currently with Johnson Medical Associates in Richardson, Texas, eye, ear, nose and lung responses plus skin irritation and rash are the usual symptoms of mold exposure. "In some instances the memory is affected," she says. "Sinus infections, bronchitis, asthma and coughing could exist."

Harold Farber, M.D., pediatric pulmonologist, associate chief of pediatrics at Kaiser Permanente Vallejo Medical Center in Vallejo, Calif., and author of Cont rol Your Child's Asthma: A Breakthrough Program for the Treatment and Management of Childhood Asthma (Henry Holt), says that molds can cause "sick building syndrome." "Living, working or going to school in moldy buildings can cause headaches, nausea, flu-like symptoms and allergic symptoms," he says. But, according to Farber, most people have no reaction at all, and it depends on a person's susceptibility. "We really don't fully understand what makes one person susceptible and another not. A person with a history of allergies may become sensitized and develop allergic symptoms (runny nose, itchy eyes). A person with asthma may have mold triggering their asthma."

According to Dr. Farber, there are two kinds of illnesses that mold exposure can cause: allergic and toxic. "Asthma and hay fever can be triggered by allergy to molds. Cough, wheeze and trouble breathing can be from asthma. Hay fever can cause a runny nose and watery eyes." Dr. Farber says the classic "toxic" reaction to inhaled molds is pulmonary hemorrhage, or bleeding from the lungs.

"Ten babies from Cleveland, Ohio were admitted to the hospital with bleeding from the lungs," says Dr. Farber. "All 10 lived in homes with water damage from leaky pipes or flooding. The department of health found a clear association with toxic mold in the homes of these infants. Strachybotrys atra is the name of the toxic mold that caused this illness." Infants are more susceptible to developing pulmonary hemorrhage from toxic molds than adults. "We are not sure why this is. Perhaps it is that in babies the lungs are growing rapidly." Dr. Farber points out that when tobacco smoke is combined with toxic mold exposure, the risk increases dramatically. Farber says this pulmonary hemorrhage is extremely uncommon -- most individuals do not develop severe reactions.

What is Mold?
Mold is a type of fungi, and can be found all over the world. Mold requires one thing to grow: moisture. When given moisture, it can grow on all sorts of surfaces including carpet, insulation, wood, drywall and wallpaper. The mold will grow and produce mycotoxins, which are poisonous. When these mycotoxins release into the air and a human inhales them, this is where the problems start. Susan believes that her family's problems increased after the heat pump was replaced because the water supply was cut off to the mold. "When you cut off the water source to mold, its spores start looking for water," she says. "So during that time we had high concentrations of sporing toxic mold in the air."

A few of the molds that can be hazardous to humans are penicillium, stachybotrys, paecilomyces, aspergillus and fusarium.

Keeping Your Home Mold-Free
The key to keeping your home mold-free is to prevent water contamination and water damage, according to Dr. Farber. "Identify and fix plumbing and roof leaks. Make sure that there are not sources of moisture or mold in the heating or air conditioning system," he says. Dr. Farber also says bathrooms and kitchens should be well ventilated, and not to use a humidifier, which can increase mold growth.

Homes need to maintain proper humidity levels, according to Gorman. "They (homes) need to have vapor barriers in basements or properly installed when building," she says. "There needs to be fresh air intake, and Hepa quality air filters so pollen and mold spores are removed from indoor air." Gorman says to look out for sweating windows and water condensation, which is a sign of poor ventilation and improper humidity levels. Air condition drip pans and coils should be maintained and inspected to keep mold-free, and it's a good idea to have climate control inspections every six months to ensure your home is healthy.

If you do find mold, Dr. Farber says the first thing you should do is find and repair the source of the moisture. "Second, remove all water damaged items," he says. "And third, clean the affected area with soap and water, then rinse with a solution of one part household bleach to four parts water." Dr. Farber says you should wear protective gloves when doing this. This is good for small areas of mold, but what if it's a large area, or in your walls?

Gorman says that if you suspect mold contamination, the amount of mold must be quantified. "So, mold air tests are the first item of business," she says. If mold is found, Gorman says to contact a mold remediation firm; one can be recommended by the Health Department or Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Susan contacted her homeowners insurance company and they sent out an environmental company to test her home.

After the tests confirmed toxic mold, a remediation company wrote up a plan for the Chicks on how to get rid of it. Their home was packed up -- and torn up. Everything in the home must be cleaned, if possible, or disposed of. "We know in our house so far the garage and adjoining utility room will be torn out," says Susan. "Our entire kitchen will be torn out. The wall between our living room and master bath. The entire master bath. They won't know how much extra will be torn out until they get in there and start tearing to see how far the mold has gotten."

A Breath of Fresh Air
The good news is that since leaving their home to live in a rental, the Chicks' health has improved dramatically. Michael's muscle soreness is gone, as well as his sinus problems and headaches, and his concentration is improving. Susan says that immediately after moving out, her muscle soreness and fatigue improved. Her short-term memory is much better now, and her concentration has improved enough that she has returned to her hobby of Web design.

The children's health has also improved. Seth, who was on seizure medication, is now off the medication and seizure-free. "His motor skills have improved some, but speech and social skills remain a huge obstacle," says Susan. He is in a program offered by their school district for speech therapy, and he also sees a private speech therapist twice a week and an occupational therapist once a week. The Chicks also found out later that Seth is extremely allergic to penicillin, and after testing, it was found that their home contained high concentrations of penicillium (from which penicillin is derived).

William has also improved dramatically. "Three days after moving out of the house he was rolling over to his stomach and his reflux was gone! He immediately turned into a sweet-natured, happy, smiling baby boy," says Susan. Within a month he was crawling. William still receives physical and occupational therapy. The newest problem is that he has stopped being able to digest food and is on a specialized formula and is not growing. "It is our understanding that this is a common problem with toxic mold," she says.

The Chicks' Health Today
While there were some initial improvements in the Chicks' health after leaving what Susan calls "the toxic environment," they continue to have problems. Both Michael and Susan were diagnosed with Epstein-Barr, a virus responsible for a number of diseases including infectious mononucleosis. The Chicks traveled to Houston, Texas to be tested by Dr. Andrew W. Campbell at the Center for Immune, Environmental and Toxic Disorders. "Dr. Campbell did extensive neurological, blood and other tests," says Susan. "He has determined that I have neurological damage to my auditory nerve, sensory neuropathy and severe pulmonary restriction. I have de-mylenization -- the protective coating coming off my nerves, similar to MS patients."

Susan says that according to the tests, she has eight kinds of toxic mold growing inside of her body, with the highest concentration being stachybotrys. Susan is on weekly IV treatments of immunoglobulin. Michael and Seth have similar problems and are on prescription medications. William is the healthiest of the family, which the doctor attributes to Susan's breastfeeding. "Thanks goodness for breastfeeding, despite his neurological problems that nearly made it impossible," she says.

As of February 2002, the Chicks are still living in a rental home, but their house is coming along. "The house has been remediated and now tests negative for mold, so we are in the process of getting bids on the 'build-back' phase," says Susan.

Remember: mold needs moisture to grow. Know your house. If you've had -- or suspect you've had -- a water leak, have it checked for mold contamination. While the majority of people have no reactions to mold exposure, the possible risks are too serious not to take precautions. Just ask the Chicks.

Here are tips for reducing moisture and mold in your home, from the experts at HouseMaster, a national home inspection firm:

* Air conditioning system condensation pans under indoor units provide a perfect environment for mold and bacteria. If accessible, be sure to check all pans regularly and thoroughly bleach-clean them as needed.

* Groundwater that is not directed away from your home may penetrate the foundation and/or the crawl space walls and will provide mold and mildew with the moisture they require to thrive. Pipe downspouts away from the house and maintain a 15 percent positive grade away from your foundation.

* Exterior decaying wood may lead to water damage inside the home, creating an inviting environment for the growth of mold. Be sure to check all wooden surfaces inside and outside of the home that are subject to frequent or constant moisture exposure. Lower reaches of wood siding in contact with soil, improperly designed window and door ledges and porches are especially vulnerable to decay.

* Be sure to inspect the inside of the home for water damage corresponding to any found on the outside of the home and make sure to fix the source of the water leak, not just the damage it has caused.

* Faulty or missing flashing in areas where roof planes change allows rainwater to enter your home and settle in seldom visited areas such as attics and insulated cavities. Check and maintain flashings annually.

* Unfinished, dirt-floor crawl spaces allow ground moisture to rise and permeate house framing and insulation. Such crawl space surfaces should be sealed by placing polyethylene sheeting over them and taping all seams and edges. Keep crawl spaces well ventilated.

* Install proper attic ventilation, e.g. soffit vents, to increase airflow and decrease humidity in the attic (this will also extend the life of your roof).

* Bathrooms and laundry areas that are unventilated or poorly ventilated encourage the growth of mold and mildew. Venting (including dryer vents) should always be to the outside and not to an interior area such as an attic or garage. Install bathroom exhaust fans in rooms with or without exterior windows to decrease humidity.

* Humidifiers and improperly vented fuel-burning appliances can raise the relative humidity in a room. Shut off offending appliances at first signs of condensation on windows or other surfaces. Check venting systems to ensure all potentially harmful flue gas exhausts to the exterior.

* Dehumidifiers and air conditioning should be used, especially in hot, humid areas, to draw moisture out of the air. To be sure these appliances don't themselves become sources of biological pollutants, clean or change the air conditioner filter to prevent dirt and mold buildup.

* Major systems, such as furnaces, heat pumps and central air conditioners, should be inspected and cleaned annually before seasonal use. Tweet