We’ve studied on this blog how mold can harm our breathing and exacerbate both allergy and asthma symptoms. But the effects of toxic mold reach further than that. As a recent study at the University of Cincinnati suggests, mold doesn’t just enhance asthma; it may also cause it to develop in the first place.

The study tracked more than 700 children using seven years of data. It measured the presence of 36 different types of mold in analysis tool developed by the Environmental Protection Agency known as the ERMI – the environmental relative moldiness index. The index factored in the many different mold types, some toxic and some not, to measure the relative environmental threat.

In the study, 18 per cent of children exposed to mold had developed asthma by seven years old. That rate is triple the number for children not exposed to mold under the ERMI (six per cent).

It doesn’t get much more ironclad than that, does it? Mold needs to be taken seriously. If you don’t undergo a proper mold inspection and removal, you literally increase your children’s chances of developing asthma three-fold.

It’s also worth noting that children from lower-income families are more likely to have asthma. That’s because lower-income housing is more likely to have mold. As a result, the onus falls on both local governments and landlords to eliminate mold from their buildings. You can get it done for a good price with a mold inspection company.

We know mold causes asthma. So it’s time to fight this lung disease. Get rid of mold!

MoldInspections.ca is the trusted leader for mold-free homes and breathable indoor air spaces in Toronto, the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), and beyond. Providing certified mold inspection, detection and testing since 2005, we service home owners, real-estate agents, landlords, property managers, insurance companies and businesses. Featured on CTV and recommended by contractors, we regularly serve as expert witnesses in court proceeding relating to Mold and Indoor Air Quality issues. Do you have mold? Call us today for a free quote at (416) 575-6111.