Neuroimmune CME Series
This is truly a unique opportunity [Read more…] about Unique Opportunity: Neuroimmune CME Series
How to End the Autism Epidemic – A review
How to End the Autism Epidemic
J.B. Handley
I am privileged and excited to be able to preview the groundbreaking book (How to End the Autism Epidemic) before it hits the shelves in the next day or two. While we have lived a life with autism and endured the confusion doctors have around autism and the nuances of the medical needs children diagnosed for many years, we are now in a place where our child has recovered enough for the autism diagnosis to only ever to be hinted at, no longer underscored.
While writing that intro was easy, the reality of living with autism is not. Recovery is tenuous and it has taken many thousands of hours, countless interventions, extreme diet changes, medical tests, truckloads of cash, complicated supplement regiments and many, many, many, strange looks and weird conversations to get us here. So even though we do feel lucky the hard work has paid off, our child still has a diagnosis of post-infectious encephalitis.
However, this really is a much better place than when [Read more…] about How to End the Autism Epidemic – A review
Mold Remediation
Mold Testing as well as Mold Remediation
(Finding Mold is Only Half the Battle)
Mold testing and mold remediation are never far from my mind. Now we have left Florida behind and are happily back in our own beds we should be elated, except the mold remains a constant headache and we must deal with that situation sooner rather than later.
Now I am back, I am determined to resolve the mold in our house that has caused some health challenges. This has been an ongoing issue for almost a year now but has become more pressing because right before I went to Florida, I had a dermatology appointment to have an area on my forehead biopsied. This area has been raising, scabbing and healing for several months but it is (or it was) time for it to go. I say was, because while we have been away, it has gone anyway. No trace of where it had been. All I can think is that staying in a house with filtered air potentially [Read more…] about Mold Remediation
You thought medical insurance covered that?
We thought medical insurance covered it too!
We went to an OCD Outpatient Treatment Program in Florida.
We have been out of state again for 5 long weeks now. We came to a program that was hopefully one more step in the recovery process from encephalitis. We chose to come here because in the spirit of the JCAP (Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychopharmacology) treatment guidelines, and knowing CBT therapy has already been positive, we believe this type of ongoing therapy has a place in our treatment program. Now we are this far along in our journey, we chose a very well established program for OCD, anxiety and mood disorders to reinforce some new coping skills.
This particular program has been here for many years and according to several of my friends, their success rates are pretty good. When we got here the behavior specialist took a few days to figure out where she would be going with the treatment. What were the triggers, was it OCD? Anxiety? etc. certainly nothing we haven’t heard before. This program is designed to be [Read more…] about You thought medical insurance covered that?
MOLD Protect yourself
5 Ways To Protect Yourself When
Choosing a Mold Inspection
Company
It’s an unfortunate fact in the mold world that inspection and remediation companies often have shady relationships and kickback agreements that put consumers at risk. Here are 5 ways to protect your finances and health:
1. Don’t hire an inspector that also does remediation.
This is a recipe for disaster as some inspectors will exaggerate the extent of mold damage in order to make more money on the remediation.
When your remediation is complete, you should have your home tested to verify that the mold is actually gone. If your inspector does your remediation, you cannot necessarily count on him or her to tell you if the remediation wasn’t done properly and completely.
2. Do not share with your inspector who is doing your remediation and don’t tell the person doing your remediation who will do your post-remediation mold inspection.
Again, this is a way to protect yourself from conflicts of interest that can cost you money and impact your health.
3. Choose inspectors who use third-party certified laboratories to process their mold samples and who will provide you with the actual lab reports.
Proper identification of mold spores is important. Mold identification courses for amateurs have popped up throughout the country so it is difficult to know who knows what they’re doing without laboratory certification. You don’t want to worry that Stachybotrys (“toxic black mold”) was mistaken for Cladosporium (a mold commonly found on houseplants) or vice versa.
4. Ask what certifications your inspector holds.
In most of the United States, mold inspectors must complete only a three-day certification course. Mold inspection isn’t rocket science but additional education and certifications can provide you with reassurance that you’re working with someone who is truly interested in protecting your health.
5. Ask how many samples your inspector plans to take and be suspicious of those who claim they’re trying to save you money by doing the fewest samples possible.
Mold inspectors incur additional costs with each mold sample they take which can chip away at their profits. While a thorough inspection for water intrusion and areas of elevated moisture is very important, taking an adequate number of mold samples is equally important. Mold hidden within wall cavities or within HVAC systems or ductwork is often discovered only through sampling. The more samples the inspector takes, the higher the chances of catching a hidden problem area.
Anna Conkey graduated from the highly regarded Institute of Building Biology and Ecology as a Building Biology Environmental Consultant as well as an Electromagnetic Radiation Specialist. Additionally, she holds certifications in mold inspection, mold remediation, and is a Council-Certified Residential Indoor Environmentalist.
Anna offers a hybrid service for mold, VOC, and formaldehyde testing that combines rental of professional sampling, thermal imaging, and moisture meter equipment with DIY test kits that are processed by a professional laboratory. For more, visit: www.conflictfreemold.com.
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