If you suspect mold is affecting your child, testing is the first step. Mold is a master of stealth, often hiding in places we can’t see, while the toxins it produces, called mycotoxins, quietly wreak havoc on our health. Traditional mold inspections tend to focus on the obvious—what you can see and smell—but they often miss or don’t address hidden mold or airborne mycotoxins lingering behind walls or in the air.
Testing Your Home for Mold and Mycotoxins
ERMI and HERTSMI-2 Testing
1. Environmental Relative Moldiness Index (ERMI)
The ERMItest is a dust sampling method that uses DNA-based technologyto detect and identify 36 species of mold in an indoor environment—it can detect mold lurking behind walls, under floorboards, or hidden deep in HVAC systems.
With ERMI you collect a dust sample from various areas in your home, send it to the lab, and receive a detailed report that breaks down the types and quantities of mold present. Labs like EnviroBiomics and Mycometrics offer easy-to-use ERMI testing kits that can help you take control of your indoor environment.
Unlike simple air quality tests, ERMI and HERTSMI-2 offer a more accurate, detailed snapshot of your home’s mold profile. Brian Karr of Mold Finders Radio, an expert on mold inspections, says that 8 in 10 homes they inspect have a mold problem.
EnviroBiomics and Mycometrics offers easy-to-use ERMI testing kits. You collect a dust sample, send it in, and receive a detailed report on the mold levels in your home.
Don’t Hire Just Anyone—Hire an Indoor Environment Professional
Standard mold inspections often rely on air testing or visible mold identification, which misses hidden moisture and mold problems. An Indoor Environment Professional (IEP), Industrial Hygienist (IH), especially one trained in environmental illnesses, takes a more investigative approach, using specialized tools and techniques to uncover hidden issues.
A professional IEP examines the entire home—not just the obvious spots. This is a multi-hour, detailed investigation covering:
- Attics, basements, and crawl spaces
- Behind appliances like refrigerators, washing machines, and toilets
- Under sinks, around windows, walls, and bathrooms
- Exterior walls, windows, and foundation
Always clarify with your IEP which areas will and won’t be included in the investigation. Without a thorough physical inspection, even the best testing can be rendered meaningless.
A professional IEP will use a variety of advanced tools and testing options, including
- Moisture Mapping: Detects hidden moisture that could fuel mold growth.
- Infrared Scanning: Identifies temperature differences that signal moisture behind walls, tiles or ceilings.
- Wall & Cavity Inspections: Physical examinations behind walls, refrigerators and washing machines, or in HVAC systems.
Testing Your Child for Mold Exposure and Mycotoxins
When mold exposure is suspected, it’s just as important to assess how it may be impacting your child’s health. Children—especially those with autoimmune conditions like PANS and PANDAS—can be highly sensitive to mold and mycotoxins. The following tests can help pinpoint mold exposure and its effects on their body.
Mycotoxin Urine Test
This test measures the levels of mycotoxins being excreted from the body.
Mosaic Diagnostics (formerly Great Plains Laboratory) is a trusted lab for mycotoxin testing.
The process is simple and non-invasive—just a urine sample collected at home. Parents can order these tests directly from the lab. The test results will typically highlight specific types of mycotoxins, such as:
- Ochratoxin A: Commonly linked to kidney damage and immune suppression.
- Aflatoxins: Known carcinogens that can affect liver function.
- Gliotoxins:Known to suppress immune function and trigger oxidative stress.
If your child’s test shows elevated mycotoxin levels, don’t panic—this is valuable information that can guide your next steps. A combination of detox protocols (including binders, antioxidants, and liver support), environmental interventions (like addressing mold in the home), and supportive therapies can help your child’s body eliminate these toxins and start the healing process.
Visual Contrast Sensitivity (VCS) Test
The VCS test measures your ability to detect subtle differences in shades of gray, known as contrast sensitivity. It’s actually a sensitive way to detect how well your neurological pathways—particularly those linked to your visual system—are functioning. When your body is exposed to biotoxins from mold, these toxins can interfere with how your brain processes visual information, even before more obvious symptoms appear.
Think of it this way: your eyes might be perfectly healthy, but the way your brain interprets what you see can get scrambled by mold-related toxins. You simply look at a series of patterns with varying degrees of contrast and indicate whether you can see them. The results can give you important insights into whether neuroinflammation or toxin exposure might be affecting your brain function.
You can take the VCS test online through survivingmold.com, a resource developed by Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker, who’s a pioneer in the field of biotoxin illness research. Dr. Shoemaker has been at the forefront of understanding how mold and other environmental toxins affect the body, and his work has helped thousands of people identify and recover from chronic inflammatory illnesses caused by biotoxin exposure.
The test is affordable, easy to access, and can be a great first step if you’re unsure whether mold exposure could be impacting your health.
Organic Acids Test (OAT)
It gives us a deep dive into what’s happening inside the body, especially in areas that tend to go haywire with mold exposure. This test looks at fungal overgrowth, mitochondrial function, and detox pathways—all critical pieces of the puzzle.
- Fungal Overgrowth:The OAT picks up on byproducts from yeast and fungal overgrowth, like Candida, which often flies under the radar in mold-related illnesses.
- Mitochondrial Function:Mold toxins are notorious for damaging mitochondria—the tiny engines responsible for producing ATP, the energy currency your body lives off of. The OAT helps pinpoint where the breakdown is happening so we can restore mitochondrial function.
- Detox Pathways:Mold exposure can clog up the body’s natural detox systems, especially the liver. Think of your detox pathways like a busy highway. Normally toxins move through smoothly, but mold causes a major pile-up—things get backed up, and toxins get stuck in the body longer than they should. The OAT shows us where these bottlenecks are, so we can get things flowing again.
Available through Mosaic Diagnostics.
MARCoNS Nasal Swab
This test checks for Multiple Antibiotic-Resistant Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci (MARCoNS), a type of bacteria that often colonizes the sinuses after mold exposure. MARCoNS can form biofilms, making it harder for the body to clear infections and contributing to chronic inflammation. This test has to be ordered by a practitioner.
MARCoNS is a stubborn type of bacteria that loves to set up camp in your sinuses, particularly when your immune system is already under stress from mold.
After mold exposure, your body’s natural defenses can get a little overwhelmed. This opens the door for opportunistic bacteria like MARCoNS to move in and make themselves at home. But MARCoNS can form biofilm to protect itself.
Biofilms are like protective shields that bacteria create to hide from your immune system and even from antibiotics. This biofilm makes it incredibly tough for your body to clear the infection, which means MARCoNS can stick around and cause ongoing problems.
Why should you get tested?
If you’ve been exposed to mold and despite following all the treatment protocols you’re not getting better, MARCoNS might be part of the issue.
The MARCoNS test isn’t something you can pick up over the counter or order yourself online—it needs to be ordered by a practitioner.
Final Thoughts
Uncovering mold in your home or in your child, can feel overwhelming—but it’s also the first step toward healing. By using testing methods, you can uncover hidden triggers, make informed decisions, and create a healthier environment for your family. It’s all about peeling back those layers and uncovering every possible roadblock to healing—because once you know what you’re dealing with, you can finally move forward.
If you’re unsure where to start, reach out to a practitioner experienced in biotoxin illnesses. They can guide you through interpreting results and planning next steps. Mold might be a hidden enemy, but with the right knowledge and tools, you can reclaim your home—and your child’s health.