MomsAgainstMold.org

You suspect mold in your home. You and/or someone in your family have symptoms which are baffling doctors. Where do you start? I will offer a layperson's answer based on our family's experience.

Consider an air test. Mold plates found in hardware stores do not "pull" the air and provide only a limited picture of your air. A toxic mold issue can easily be missed when using this product. You can also consider an ERMI (Environmental Relative Moldiness Index). Both an air test and ERMI will require a hygienist.

Expect to pay between 250 - 500 dollars. This is often a stumbling block but this can save you thousands of dollars later. Our family's story is proof of this.

1. Do you believe mold is harmful? (the answer must be yes)
2. What constitutes a "safe" level of mold? (indoor mold counts should be equal to/or below outdoor counts. There should be no stachybotrys. Not one spore. Aspergillus should be present only at negligable levels. The standard in Belgium requires no more than 2 1/2 percent aspergillus in the total count. Our hygienist cleared our home with 40% aspergillus. I wish I would have known to look for this.)
3. Can I see the report? (Do not rely on a hygienist's word. It's important to see your counts for yourself. Especially when it comes to levels of aspergillus).

If you've had mold remediation in the home and feel unsure about the air quality, consider a high volume air sampler. This equipment draws large volumes of air using a high-speed rotary motor. One source of information on this option is available through Real Time Labs.

Where do I begin medically? You can take the VCS test available through Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker. This is an affordable way to determine if mold exposure is making you ill. There is a urine test available through Real Time Labs. In addition, the website Mold Survivor has a list of physicians who treat mold illness. The level of knowledge varies widely, but it can be a good place to start.

If you have a primary doctor willing to consider mold exposure as a cause of illness, ask for specific labwork such as c4a, VEGF, MSH, and leptin. Or ask for the full set of labs. Alternative health care offers a wide range of de-tox options as well.

The mold journey is a daunting one, but knowledge is power. It is better to deal with mold than ignore it. Our story is extreme. I know of "happier" mold stories where mold was suspected, air was tested, and remediation performed. No one got sick, because the mold was dealt with quickly and thoroughly. I know of others who suspected mold and found nothing harmful. We spent 8 years without the knowledge that our home was making us sick. We've spent the last 8 months with it. Believe me, it's much better to choose knowledge. It's painful, but with truth there is freedom.