Young woman diagnosed with dementia after home infested with mould
A young woman was diagnosed with dementia after living in a mould-invested home.
Amie Skilton, now 42, was left unable to remember her own name after moving into the house in Manly, New South Wales, Australia, back in 2016.
The house's shower had faulty waterproofing, which saw water leak under the carpet resulting in a mould infestation so severe she was diagnosed with dementia at the age of 37.
Amie already had a pre-existing 'genetic vulnerability' to mould and went on to experience a 'systematic breakdown' of her body.
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Amie explained that she first began to experience symptoms two months after moving into the house during what was a warm summer.
She gained 10kg of weight 'out of nowhere' and found herself suffering from chronic allergies and fatigue, and as time went on, she found herself struggling more and more with her brain function.
She told The New York Post: "Some days I couldn't figure out how to get dressed. I would look at clothes and I just be really confused as to like how to put them on."
Amie was eventually diagnosed with Type Three Dementia, which the NHS reports is caused by 'reduced blood flow to the brain'.
However, while all of her symptoms were distressing, she explained that the worst was when she forgot her own name.
"I went to fill out a form one day and I was staring at the box that said my name and I was like what is it again?," she explained.
While Amie did seek medical intervention, as she was unaware of the cause the tests carried out came back clear and 'healthy'.
She explained that part of the problem is that medical professionals typically don't receive much training in mould-related diseases.
However, she eventually worked out what was going on herself after a friend revealed her husband had the 'mould gene' online.
She said that it was discovered after a leak in their flat had a detrimental effect on his health.
Amie then remembered there was a leak above her garage and decide to investigate the possibility that her sickness was caused by mould.
A building biologist went on to find mould under their carpet that spread into the bedroom and study.
However, the carpet itself looked perfectly fine - it was only when it was lifted that the black mould was revealed.
Amie, horrifyingly, even found mould on her mattress.
When she confronted the letting agent, they admitted that they were aware of the problem and were in discussions with the homeowner to fix it.
"They knew and it was poisoning us," she said.
Thankfully, the now 42-year-old has now recovered from dementia, and she is sharing her story to increase awareness of mould-related illnesses.
She is now a trained Mould Testing Technician and has found a new home.
Emma Guinness