A MUM fears her mouldy flat is leaving her children with deadly health conditions.
Nikki Lazarou, has taken her children to hospital three times in the past year because of serious lung issues.
“It’s so bad in the kids' room I won’t allow them to sleep there, my [older] son has asthma and every time he is in there he’s coughing his lungs out," she explained.
The mum-of-three now avoids spending too much time at her home in Wood Green, London, after her youngest child was left "struggling to breath" after sleeping there.
She told My London that her toddler was rushed from the GP to the hospital with a lung infection called bronchitis.
The youngster then developed the infection a second time, as well as being struck down with a croup cough, and was taken straight to hospital by his mum.
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There is evidence to suggest mould and fungi are a major trigger for asthma attacks and can worsen symptoms for those with other lung conditions.
One study, published in 2012 found that young children exposed to mould in the home had an increased risk of developing asthma by the age of seven.
Nikki, who is pregnant, has now been left fearing for her own health and the health of her unborn child.
She has got to her GP write to Haringey Council asking for an urgent review into her living situation.
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But the worried mum said this letter and appears for action from the local authority have prompted almost no assistance.
“All of these issues the council are not helping, it's like what are they waiting for? Are they waiting for my children to die?” Nikki added.
The mum-of-two thinks the situation isn't only affecting her children's physical health, but their mental health as well.
She claims a lack of sleep due to the conditions is affecting her boys who suffer have regular meltdowns.
In an attempt to keep her children out of their bedroom, the entire family sleeps in one room – which is a struggle for her son who has autism.
5 top tips to prevent damp and mould at home
Asthma and Lung UK are aware that mould can exacerbate or trigger asthma symptoms in those with the condition.
They give their top five tips to start combating mould in your home today:
1. Open windows and doors so air can move around. But be cautious on high pollen or pollution days if these are triggers for you.
2. Try to avoid drying clothes indoors. If you have nowhere else to dry them, open a window if you can.
3. Use extractor fans in the kitchen and bathroom or open a window when cooking or after a shower.
4. Close the door of the room you’re in if you’re cooking or showering to prevent condensation in other rooms
5. Try to keep your home at a good background temperature so it never gets too cold at least 15 degrees in all rooms
"He had a big meltdown and said he was 'fed up with staying here and being on the floor.’
"I tried to tell him ‘calm down, I’m trying my best,’ but he’s got mad and he’s tried to jump down the stairs," she said.
"Mentally and physically I shouldn't be here with my children, it's not safe for them to be here," she explained.
In November, leading charity Asthma and Lung UK warned that mould and damp problems get worse as temperatures drop – amid fears the cost of living crisis could result in more families being affected.
They added that cold and flu viruses, which can cause respiratory infections, can also thrive in colder temperatures and poorly ventilated, damp environments.
Last year, two-year old Awaab Ishak died of respiratory failure after being exposure to mould in his own home.
Responding to Nikki's case, councillor Dana Carlin said: “I am appalled at the conditions this family are living in and would like to offer my sincere apologies to Ms Lazarou and her family.
“We have inspected the property and have arranged suitable temporary accommodation for the family to move into whilst we undertake the repair to their home.
“As a council we have put in place significant procedures to deal with damp and mould and have a robust action plan moving forward to identify cases in our homes and deal with them quickly and effectively.
“Our priority is for our residents to live in safe and well-maintained homes, and we are fully committed to a zero-tolerance approach to damp and mould.
"We have streamlined our reporting process to ensure all reported damp and mould is correctly signposted to the relevant service and residents can email us directly at [email protected]"
How damp and mould affect my health
The NHS says the problem with mould is that it produces allergens (substances that can cause an allergic reaction), irritants and, sometimes, toxic substances.
When these are inhaled or they get into the skin, it causes nasty symptoms.
At first these toxins may not cause any harm at low levels. But if they are consistently in the air, it starts to cause side effects.
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People who live in homes with mould are more likely to:
- Have respiratory problems
- Respiratory infections
- Allergies
- Asthma, including asthma attacks
- Problems with the immune system
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