To think our house is making DC sick

[Concernedmum23]

Please, need some urgent help.

DC is 4. She used to be lively, happy and full of energy. Since about late October time she started getting colds. We thought the usual, oh it's that time of the year. Except the colds never went away and kept on coming. Since then she's been ill and "congested" every single day. She now looks pale, yes I know it's winter time but she has this weird tint to her that she gets when is run down. She has big black bags under her eyes, her energy is higher but restless and irritable. Again, we thought it could be down to her age and a phase but now I'm not so convinced. As well as permanently being congested and always choking on it, she's become highly wired at night time. She wakes up multiple times during the night sleep talking/walking. The other day she randomly woke up, complained of pain, vomited and then was fine?

The thing is we live with family and can not afford to move out at the moment. The house, to me anyways, seems riddled with black mold. When I bring this to DH or his families attention I get shut down. But there is evidence of black mold, in the corners by windows. On the floor, in the carpets, in the corners of the wall/skirting. At its worst it can go up into the ceiling and this is all just the visible external part of it, god knows what is happening behind the walls. I'm worried her sudden onset of illness and not seeming to get better despite the diet change, heavy vitamins ect is due to black mold poisoning? DH claims it's common from old homes to get this, but surely not every week/month? We clean the mold and it seems to return with about that time frame. If left untreated it can get really bad. The wall paper in the house in many places is peeling/bubbled but again it gets dismissed from just being an old house.

I feel convinced that unless it's a random allergy she has developed it's the house doing this. Her symptoms align with black mold exposure but no one seems to take me seriously. Also there isn't really anything we can do about it being in the financial predicament we are in.

The drs don't seem concerned. They have referred her to an ent and said her to sols look big but that it's "normal for most kids and she will grow into them". This feels more than that, and I'm scared for my child despite being shut down by everyone. Gp won't even do basic allergy/asthma tests on her. I'm at a loss and so so worried. Help!!!

@PeteReturns The OP isn't working. She hasn't said if her partner is.

My thoughts exactly. Totally irresponsible

dehumidifier and use white vinegar. repaint with anti mould paint where possible.

Are you getting enough fresh air into the house? Do the windows have little vents in them? If so those should be open all the time.

I bet the windows are never opened either, and they have double glazing?
Black mould like that forms on cold walls -

If there are dogs and cats in the house, there could well be allergens.

It sounds horrible, with the ''stale smell''.... are there animal feces? litter trays?

If they are drying wet laundry there, it will also make it worse.

A dehumidifier could help with the damp, but they do cost money to run.

However, they do make the atmosphere more comfortable.

I'd try to move if possible.

It's not suitable for anyone, let alone a new baby and a small child. But OP and partner have to step up here - for the sake of their children. It's unfair on them.

I understand if op isn’t working pregnant with a toddler but her partner should be working every hour he can to get his family out of this situation.
As it’s been going on 5 years and 2 babies later; the most recent turning up like a miracle happened apparently, I very much doubt that is the case.
This is a man issue not a mould issue.

It's going to keep coming back if the room isn't being ventilated properly. Open the windows to let air through and reduce the humidity in the room with a dehumidifier. Carpets are bad because you can't clean them easily and they hold on to moisture. The house sounds so damp. Turn the heating up! If the family aren't willing to address this then it's never going to go.

Get the black kilrock mould spray and treat the areas (this stuff does stink so you need to air the rooms out) - you can find it at home bargains, fairly inexpensive but amazing!, regular airing of the rooms with the heating on and you need a dehumidifier, we live in an older house and once we got one we stopped having any mould issues 😊

@PeteReturns I disagree it's a "man" issue. Women are equally as capable of working. This includes pregnant ones with 4 year-olds. I managed it.
If I relied on my husband's salary alone we'd still have no no choice but to live in our mouldy and damp rental but we both worked our arses off on pretty crap wages (and when I was pregnant and then with a baby to child) so we could move to another property (also rented) suitable for our family. By no means a big house, but a mould-free one.

If you're living with family, I'm going to assume you're paying under £1k/ month in board (otherwise you should be renting yourself!).

If you both work full time on min wage you're bringing home £3,000.

You'll have some costs of course, say £750/ month (generous)

You should've been saving at least £1,250/ month for 5 years, so you should have over £75k saved up which is surely a deposit on a small place?

Now you may be paying less than £1k board or you may be earning more/ less, have childcare etc, but you need to get out of there asap & so you may have to work to make that happen

@anonhop OP isn't working. I'm pretty sure her partner isn't either.

That's not normal. I've lived in lots of old houses. None of them has anything like that.

Do you really want to be in a relationship with someone that won't take your child's health seriously?

Lack of ventilation, lack of heating, water ingress, no cavity wall - the cause could be any or several of those. The age of a house has nothing to do with it.

You don't see e.g. old churches being mouldy by default, as long as they are well maintained. If you are a legal tenant, move the furniture a few inches away from the walls, get a dehumidifier, take off the wallpaper (there will be more mould underneath), bleach everything that may be mouldy including furniture. Don't repaint until everything is dry as a bone. That may take weeks or months, I'd wait until the summer.

Once you've taken reasonable steps and it's still coming back, contact the landlord, agency, environmental health, Shelter.

Hmm

Clearly there's something you're not doing something to enable your situation:

Move to a cheaper area
Cut on spending
Work more
Expect less

But do not live in a mouldy house

Not a permanent solution, Op, but have you tried removing all furniture (room by room) and scrubbing all wall and ceiling surfaces with sugar soap and hot water, as if preparing for painting? Then wash it with mould killer. Go to a paint distributer. it seems you will have to try to inhibit and control the mould while you live there.
Open the windows more.
Check for roof leaks or where ever moisture could be entering.
Ask landlord to repair any damage. Repaint each wall and ceiling with rollers and paint with added mould inhibitor.
Choose a washable, not totally flat paint that is easier to wash each year.
Hopefully any repairs can be made. Also ask the landlord to install a reverse cycle unit? The aircon. turned to dehumidifier and at 20 - 23 degrees celcius could help.

The carpets, I would remove if full of mould.
Can you obtain seconds, left over carpets from a roll, or second hand carpet in good order? All rooms might be different colour but it will be healthier.

Having lots of animals is problematic - adding to moisture in the air. Can you contain the animals to just one room or the garage?
.

I'm sorry to say but most problems with mould are self inflicted.

Have a look at this it might help.

I started thinking mold as soon as I read your opening paragraph and then you confirmed it. Holy crap OP that is bad bad bad mold! There are some great Facebook groups I’d recommend looking for but ultimately if she is allergic then she needs to get out of there asap. It’s terrible for newborns too. Can you get on the council list?! Sorry you’re dealing with this. Is the house wet? Can you get a dehumidifier? Are you cracking windows each day for air flow? Cleaning the mold with bleach? Any soft furnishings that get mold have to be thrown out as they can’t be remediated even by mold experts and that is the expert advice. Sorry you’re dealing with this.

You've had five years to get out of this place and now you're having another child?
Okay.
Well, I think your priority needs to be finding suitable housing for you and 2 children, as no-one seems to be listening to your concerns about your 4 year old (and, as yet, unborn child).

Another person who would strongly recommend a dehumidifier. Get a low energy one, at least 12l per day, some have a HEPA filter, Run it continuously for a week or so, then see where you get to in terms of the moisture content in the air. Mould like this in old houses can be caused by condensation due to poor ventilation and colder uninsulated walls. Try it and it should make a huge difference.

OP I am allergic to mold and when I was living in a moldy house I would have constant colds / skin issues - doctors tried all sorts of creams and stuff, which helped but the only thing that fixed it was moving out of the house.

I also had a skin prick test to help confirm what the route cause of the issue was.

So what if the house is ‘old’? My house is over 500 years old but we don’t have that. But I maintain the place.

Water’s getting in somewhere.

The air will be carrying many millions of spores. Not good.

Can you get a dehumidifier and put it in the room after it's been cleaned.
You can also buy the little moisture absorbers.
I don't use vinegar cos I hate the small but pure clove oil inhibits mould as well
I live in a humid place in NSW so I'm used to cleaning before it gets mouldy.
She won't get better unless you sort it unfortunately.

Try getting a dehumidifier

Absolutely crazy that this is your living situation and you’re adding another baby to it. Get a dehumidifier, make sure there is airflow and clean. Ultimately though you need to work and get out of there.