Here is the story from the Edmonton Journal article, re: children with serious illness from mold--finally got it on-line thanks to a friend

[Guest guest]

From: Teri-Canada

PAPER Edmonton Journal> >> > PDATE Wednesday, February 27, 2002> >> > HEADLINE Black mould drives family from home: Family leaves after> > eight-year battle with slimy fungus> >> > BYLINE Jodie Sinnema, Journal Staff Writer> >> >> > For eight years, Kathie Dermand bleached the walls in her> > Stony Plain house, trying to clean away the slimy black fungus> > spreading under the windows and in the corners.> >> >> > She thought the mould was benign, a nuisance that went along with> > owning a 1970s house.> >> >> > Now, she believes the mould has been making her family increasingly> > ill, so much so they moved out a month ago and refuse to move back> > until they know it's safe.> >> >> > "I can't risk going back in there," said Kathie, who moved her> > family to a room at a local hotel.> >> >> > "People were always commenting how sick we were ever since we moved> > to Stony Plain. One of us was sick all the time. I can't imagine> > what it's like to live in a family where there is no sickness."> >> >> > Kathie, 46, said she can't prove the mould spores caused her> > youngest daughter's nosebleeds, her husband's constant bouts of> > diarrhea or her dangerously speeding heart.> >> >> > But last December, lab results from the University of Alberta> > * confirmed that the toxic mould is stachybotrys, the same kind that> > crept through the Alberta Court of Appeal in Calgary and forced> > officials to close the building last January after one judge> > collapsed and others complained of headaches, fainting spells and> > sore eyes.> >> >> >> > The Dermand family have had similar symptoms and worse.> >> > Two years ago, Dermand, then four, came down with ear and> > bladder infections. Two months after taking antibiotics, she> > starting bruising spontaneously.> >> >> > A visit to the doctor revealed that 's blood platelet count> > was dangerously low -- 21 rather than the normal 150 to 450.> >> >> > "I thought she had leukemia," Kathie said. "It was just horrible."> >> >> > But tests didn't find the cause. Eventually, got better.> >> >> > Then last November, 10-year-old Mikey's spleen and liver became> > enlarged, he lost seven pounds in the span of a week and got> > pneumonia.> >> >> > "I really thought, again, he was dying," Kathie said. Mikey was> > tested for leukemia, hepatitis and mononucleosis, but tests were> > negative.> >> >> > Some medical and environmental experts believe stachybotrys attacks> > the immune system. While many moulds are harmless, experts suggest> > stachybotrys inhibits blood-cell formation, causes nosebleeds and> > diarrhea, poor concentration and chronic fatigue, even hemorrhaging.> >> >> > Dr. Hari Vijay, a senior research scientist with Health Canada,> > said there is ample evidence some moulds have adverse affects on> > health, though there isn't 100 per cent proof. She said that if> > * toxic moulds such as stachybotrys aren't washed away immediately,> > they seep into the walls and grow, even if they are invisible.> >> >> > "It can be so toxigenic that it's like a rattlesnake in the home,"> > said Vijay, who worked on a report on moulds and mites last year.> > "Beware. Remove it as soon as possible."> >> >> > The Dermands hope they won't have to demolish their house, but are> > reluctant to move anything out since they think everything is> > affected.> >> >> > Kathie said her family's health has drastically improved since> > leaving home.> >> >> >