Having even the smallest amount of mold in your home can more than double your child’s risk of developing asthma according to studies conducted at the Institute for Occupational and Environmental Medicine at England’s University of Birmingham.
Mold has frequently been linked to asthma in the past, and these studies underscore the point that anyone with young children in their home needs to be aware of the potentially harmful effects of long-term exposure to mold.
You don’t have to see mold for it to cause problems. The research revealed that just the smell of mold was enough to induce reactions and increase risks. Researchers discovered that household mold odor increased kids’ asthma risks about 2.5 times. For children who had existing allergies, the asthma risk increased 54% even in homes where there was no visible mold, only the odor or mold.
Air quality is extremely important to health, especially where children are concerned, and mold affects air quality. Mold cannot be totally eliminated, but controlling and removing sources of moisture can be beneficial for preventing asthma and other health problems.
Getting rid of mold and moisture problems aren’t always a do-it-yourself chore. Professionals can help find and fix the problem as well as preventing them from happening in the future.
