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What is the effect of household mold on children’s health?

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When you are a parent, you always have to address uncomfortable issues. You lose your mind over things like tantrums, disobedience, and sibling rivalries. It is safe to say that parenting is one of the most challenging and time-consuming aspects of your life. As a parent, you do everything for your children, including keeping them healthy. Speaking about kids’ health, many people in Toronto, Canada seem to be completely unaware of the fact that mold is growing in their own homes.

Despite the fact that mold awareness has increased very much over the last years, it still frequently happens that most individuals do not know that they have a problem and neither are they capable of recognizing the signs. Why should you be concerned about this fungus, anyway? Because it can possibly have devastating effects on your children’s health, that is why. If you are not aware of the serious reactions that mold exposure can provoke, then it is better to continue reading.

Outlining the background of the problem

Mold is a living organism that is part of the fungi species. This fungus is able to grow and reproduce. When there are suitable conditions for growth, that is, when there is moisture, mold produces offspring by making spores. The fact is that mold spores move aimlessly through the air and attach to anything that is dampish, eatable, and, therefore, provides them the opportunity to multiply. The spores are capable of surviving in the most severe environmental conditions. The likelihood is that you have mold spores in your household.

Generally speaking, the fungus is harmless. Nonetheless, if the spores manage to attach to damp spots, they start to grow endlessly and that can be disastrous for the health of the inhabitants, especially for children. To know for sure if there is a problem in your home, have a mold inspection performed. When it comes to mold inspection in Toronto, many qualified professionals are available. The last thing you should do is to wait until one of your kids gets sick to get your house tested for mold. Identifying the living organisms in a home is a daunting task, even for professionals. Yet, they succeed in finding the source of the contamination and the place where the fungus is growing.

The household mold menace and children

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Kids do not spend as much time playing outdoors. If you are a parent, then you definitely know that your toddlers prefer to stay indoors and play computer games. Until now, you did not realize that this is troublesome. Your children spend approximately 80 percent of their time indoors, being exposed to severe health risks. To be more precise, your youngsters are exposed to household mold. In case you did not know, exposure to this type of fungus can lead to various health effects, such as:

  • Asthma
  • Allergy
  • Neurotoxticity
  • Imunodeficiency disorders
  • Cancer

It is important to make mention of the fact that youngsters from all around the globe are in danger. Therefore, it does not matter if you pack your bags and leave your home in Canada. Countries around the world have toxic problems. Do you still think that indoor mold is not serious?

Individuals react to mold spores in different ways, yet they do share common complaints. Symptoms typically associated with household mold exposure are:

  • Rash
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Sinus congestion
  • Fatigue
  • Tearing
  • Coughing
  • Headaches
  • Anxiety
  • Confusion

When it comes to mold exposure, it is important to keep in mind that symptoms, like the ones mentioned earlier, can develop within a few days. Sometimes, the signs of illness are present after a few months or years. If your kids have been displaying symptoms, chances are that you have thought the kids had a recurring flu.

Where household mold grows

The problem with indoor mold is that it can grow just about anywhere, therefore, being impossible to spot. Examples of places in the house affected by mold include but are not limited to the basement, bathroom, walls, carpets, furniture. Is there anything else? As a matter of fact, there is. The microscopic fungus can grow on toys as well. Toys can trap moisture and provide the ideal environment for growth. So, if you have small kids, you need to pay close attention to what they are playing with. Clean the toys as often as possible. It is a good idea to boil them in hot water, just to be on the safe side.

Why do children have dangerous reactions to household mold?

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Of course, you did not know there was a problem. You and your spouse were fine. As for the children, they always get sick. There is a reason why kids are the ones more likely to have mold-related problems. The thing with young people is that they have an undeveloped immune system. Simply put, your toddlers’ immune system is not working well and it is not able to fight off bacteria. What is worrying is that mold can actually suppress the immune system of kids, making them vulnerable. The fact is that young people are not able to cope with such health problems. The immune system reaches its peak at the age of 20, so, yes, you have good reason to be worried.

Hiring a professional mold removal service

There is nothing more important than the health and well-being of your children. As mentioned previously, moving home is not an option. In addition to the fact that it is a costly affair, you risk moving into a home where there is black mold. As surprising as it may seem, people try to sell properties without disclosing this kind of information. You are a responsible parent. And do you know what a responsible parent does? They hire a professional mold remediation service.

What qualified professionals do is focus on the contamination area and the places in the home where mold has managed to grow and, ultimately, fix the problem. Owing to the fact that the fungus is completely removed, you do not have to ever worry about mold. Or indoor air quality, for that matter.

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