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!!!

I know you say you have tried a dehumidifier with no impact but you really need to run it continuously for weeks before you notice any visible effects. You need to monitor the humidity in the room regularly and keep a record.

Open as many windows as you can around the house for at least an hour a day with kitchen and bathroom windows open all the time when you are in the house. You need to get some airflow through the house.

Obviously you are wiping down the mould as soon as it appears, daily if needs be, do not leave it for a few days.

Do not dry clothes in the house if at all possible. If you have no choice, use an airer in a small room with the dehumidifier running over night.

Move as much furniture as you can a foot or so away from the wall.

Contact your landlord or managing agent every time the mould reappears and take time stamped photos. They will probably blame you for creating the mould but you need to show them all the efforts you have made. They should help by removing damp, peeling wall paper or plaster to let the walls dry behind and then redecorating. Wet carpets should be removed as well.

I think you are going to have to make a fuss to get some action and don’t be fobbed off. Have you shown your doctor the photos of the mould? Maybe the health visitor or midwife for your new baby could help?

These are all also chemicals, just to clarify. Everything is made of chemicals. 👍

You need to splash out on a dehumidifier (a good one, like Meaco) and have it running 24/7 in her bedroom.

You say you have tried a dehumidifier, but you need to run it at least twice a day for a couple of hours at a time to make a difference.

Get the windows open

Turn the heating up

Declutter

Clean the mould daily

Report the mould to your landlord and get them to check for water ingress (but it is probably caused by condensation).

Take urgent steps to move out.

Do not have more children until you can house them safely.

This isn't good. I lived in a similar situation for 6 months and became very sick with pneumonia. Definitely get a dehumidifier and in summer leave the windows open as much as you can. Others have given good suggestions for treating the mould. Is there any possibility of removing the carpet?

This - specifically the last point. I feel so sorry for your poor children. Absolutely awful to have them living in these conditions.

Is this a rented property? Or a family property you are in?

either way speak to your council environmental health housing team. They can come out and inspect, if the landlord needs to do something then they have legal powers to force him to do something to remedy the problem

its condensation damp from these photos you need to ventilate the property. Keep windows open slightly, or use a dehumidifier.

Could you afford to buy a couple of dehumidifiers, around £100-£200. I’d have one running in her bedroom at the very least? Then run them in the high traffic areas. Hopefully in the summer the situation will improve. You need to make sure it’s cleaned daily.

Have you considered a pet allergy?

TBH if it’s the mould causing the issues, nothing will change despite going back and forth to the GP if you can’t contact the landlord. Have you put yourselves on the council house list? This is definitely not a good environment for a newborn baby.

Stop having children you can't afford to house suitably.
It is mind boggling that you are bringing another child into a mouldy, overcrowded house! Why are you not working, most people don't give up work until they are due to give birth, especially if they are only working part time to start with.
Obviously your living situation will be negatively affecting your existing child so you and your partner need to be working your arses off to move into more suitable accommodation.

What do you expect the GP to do here? This is a medical problem caused by a social problem you need to fix as her parents.

Sorry to be harsh OP, but you are the adult and you need to resolve this. You need to:

contact the landlord, report the problem and ask for a mould specialist

be consistent about removing the mould with a mould remover as soon as it grows

Use a dehumidifier permanently until the air moisture is less than 55%

Keep your home warm

Save to move and apply for council housing

If you can't afford to do the above you need to go back to work. Your daughter is relying on you to fix this.

Black mould is BAD.

It baffles me that people have children when they can neither afford them it keep them in safe housing.

Awaab Ishak: Mould in Rochdale flat caused boy's death, coroner rules

Buy a dehumidifier and leave it on all day/night also a air purifier especially for the bedroom. We leave our air purifier on in the bedroom every night. We don't have mold/damp but it helps with good air circulation. Please consider it

You cannot let a baby live like that. You have already done it to your 4 year old for far too long. This could have life long consequences for them with respiratory illnesses. Get a job, move out, let the work shy dad do the childcare when you are working, but it has to be done in healthy home. You can’t gamble with your children’s health like this, it’s completely irresponsible.

Might be a good idea to share what council you're under if it's not too outing, then people can give advice about getting on the housing register.

You don't work, not sure about your husband, but I'm assuming if he does, then he is in a low paid job otherwise you wouldn't have stayed where you are for 5 years. You're pregnant, and your 5 year old seems to have health problems directly related to your living conditions. Your family is the perfect candidate for social housing. But some more clarity on what area you live in would be really helpful.

This. Not meaning to be harsh but why on earth would you being a baby into a mouldy house when you ‘can’t’ move for at least 5 years?!

your child has no one to protect them but you so
you need to step up to your husband. I lived in a mouldy flat so understand. I reacted terribly- my eyes were so puffy and I was coughing. The mould needs to be cleaned at first sight- bleach and vinegar. Wear a mask,
gloved and eye protection when cleaning mould. Windows have to be opened daily- there were times (even in winter) we did not shut the windows. You need a big humidifier and let it run to a few hours. In the bedroom we use to run it for 6 hours. Be proactive- don’t let the mould build up. Also, stop making more children with an idiot of a man who doesn’t give a shit about his child or you. The mould is probably impacting you and your unborn child. Speak to your midwife.

That looks really bad. Black mould is far worse for people than people realise, it can even cause personality changes. It's incredibly toxic.

Omg I'm shocked at that first picture. This is not normal.

I'd do anything to get myself and my child out of there

What's the point in remonstrating op for getting pregnant again? If no one ever had children in less than perfect circumstances, the human race would die out real fast. She needs actual advice, not a bunch of captain hindsights stating the bleedin' obvious.

Dehumidifier. A really good electric one made for cold damp. It will also warm the room as an added bonus. Plus regular cleaning with vinegar.

Sorry OP, we are in similar type of house.

Yes it likely is affecting your child’s health. You can’t bring a newborn into that house. Your priority here needs to be safely housing your children. How far along are you? If not too far you good get a job and save up a deposit.

Because it’s completely baffling to most of us why you would have another when you can’t afford to house the first one. Maybe it will make her think more carefully going forward, otherwise I’m sure another will come along soon and there will be three ill children in a mouldy HMO.

You’ve been pregnant for five years?

Perhaps because people are fed up of other people having children they can't afford or properly house? It ends up being on the taxpayer to deal with, and it's bloody selfish is why.

All of those things are chemicals.

It's not normal at all @Concernedmum23 is the house heated and aired properly? That will help, as will a dehumidifier.