Mold in closet causing toddler and baby's cough?« Back to Previous Page

Yes, the mold in your closet is very likely contributing to your children's persistent cough and runny nose. Infants and toddlers are particularly sensitive to mold spores, which can cause upper respiratory irritation, congestion, and coughing. The damp, stagnant conditions in a storage closet, especially in a humid climate like Dubai's, create an ideal environment for mold growth.

For the safety of your children, do not attempt to clean this yourself. Disturbing the mold will release a large number of spores into your home's air, which your family will then breathe in. The safest course of action is to first have the area professionally inspected to identify the moisture source and the extent of the problem. In many Jumeirah villas, this is often due to condensation from AC ducts running through the space or rising damp from the foundation.

Keep the closet door closed and the area isolated until a professional can assess it. A proper remediation will involve containing the area, using HEPA filtration to capture airborne spores, safely removing contaminated materials like the affected sweaters and possibly sections of drywall, and then addressing the underlying moisture issue to prevent it from returning. Given the health symptoms present, a post-remediation verification test to confirm spore levels have returned to a normal indoor level is highly recommended.