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Dev

What is a mold allergy?

Mold is a member of the fungus family

  • It can be found growing both outdoors (on dead or dying vegetation such as rotting leaves or logs) and indoors (damp basements, closets, bathrooms, mattresses, air conditioners, and humidifiers are all possible habitats.)
  • Mold spores and fragments may be inhaled.
  • Mold may also be eaten, in foods such as cheese, mushrooms, dried fruits, soy sauce, vinegar, and foods containing yeast.

A mold allergy is an abnormal response of your child’s body to mold.

Is a child with a mold allergy necessarily allergic to a mold-derived drug, like penicillin?

There is no known relationship between allergy to the mold Penicillin and allergy to the antibiotic penicillin, which is made from the mold. Consult your child's physician for more information.

Mold Allergy | Research & Clinical Trials

Boston Children's Hospital is home to the Pediatric Environmental Health Center, which provides comprehensive, coordinated services for children exposed to environmental toxins. As well as offering clinical care, the center is researching important questions in pediatric environmental health, including:

  • How do lead and mercury affect children of different ages?
  • What is the best way to treat children with lead and mercury poisoning? When should medications that bind metals be used?
  • For adolescents that work: what type of toxic exposures do they have, and how can overexposures be prevented?
  • What do other health professionals, such as pediatric primary care providers, need to know about pediatric environmental health?
  • What are the best ways to promote education about pediatric environmental health issues?

Mold Allergy | Programs & Services