Ever heard of a mould allergy?

Autumn is beautiful as leaves change into beautiful golds, coppers and burnt oranges. But for people who are allergic to mould, Autumn can be a difficult season to get through.

When Natasha was just a toddler, the simple pleasure of kicking fallen leaves that piled up on the ground in Autumn months would set off immediate asthma attacks. We had no idea why, until we did a bit of research. It turns out that in Autumn, mould spores are found everywhere. They live on decaying and rotting leaves and any decaying organic matter for that fact. Spores, microscopic particles from the mould are released into the atmosphere and because Autumn weather tends to be mild and damp, it provides the perfect conditions for mould growth. Add to that increased winds and the spores are made airborne and can travel far and wide.

When Natasha was 7 years old, she went on a school trip with a one night sleepover and I went along as a parent helper. The room she would be sleeping, had 3 bunk beds in it. The room was cold and damp, the pillows and sheets were musty and I could smell mildew. Within minutes Natasha's had an asthma attack and it wasn't until I brought her into my bedroom (which wasn't as bad) and after more puffs from her inhaler, that her lungs finally settled.

Mould LOVES the cold and damp indoors as well. It's not just found in the fridge growing on old cheese and foods that have gone off, it can grow in bathrooms and rooms with little air ventilation, basements, mattresses, pillows, upholstery, carpets, window frames, inside washing machines and under wall paper in rooms where there is condensation. As the weather gets colder and we turn on our heating, the combination of poor ventilation and increased humidity creates an ideal environment for the mould to thrive.

For Natasha, mould would trigger asthma attacks. For others it can trigger a whole range of uncomfortable symptoms including, skin rashes, persistent coughing and sneezing, runny nose, itchy and watery eyes, extreme tiredness and even joint aches and pains.

Ever heard of a mould allergy?
Think you may be allergic to mould?