Whether it is asthma, the flu, bronchitis, or any other type of illness, all parents are concerned with the long term effects of these conditions and what causes or aggravates them.

Mold has somewhat taken center stage in the list of things in your home that can cause adverse health effects for not only children and the elderly, but anyone else living in your home at the time, as well.

Not only can mold cause the aggravation of allergies and respiratory conditions such as asthma and emphysema, but it can also be toxic and cause long term medical conditions that can even end in death in some severe cases.

Due to their underdeveloped nature compared to adults, children are much more at risk to face the health effects of mold exposure than their adult counterparts.

If your child has allergies, you probably keep an eye on their exposure to them on a daily basis, as well you should, but have you had your home tested for mold? If you have not, then you probably should.

Your child's immune system is in development in the early years of its life and you should do what you can to make sure that the natural maturing process is not disturbed.

Educate yourself about the different symptoms that can be caused from mold exposure, since many doctors are not particularly aware of the complex symptoms that can come about from the exposure. If you believe that your home has mold and your child is sick, relate this to your child's pediatrician.

Infants are the most at risk, obviously, and if you suspect there is mold in your home anywhere, you should remove the child from the environment immediately and have tests done to determine if the mold is cosmetic or not. Hemorrhagic pneumonia can be caused by mold exposure in an infant and deaths have been reported.

If your home has been flooded and your child's toys were exposed to flood waters, anything porous needs to be thrown away. This includes stuffed animals, pillows, and other bedding.

These are no longer safe for your child to play with. Even mattresses need to be thrown out and replaced, because of the recent link between mold, crib mattresses, and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.