I’m hesitant to write this entry as I certainly do not wish to stir up any trouble on such a tragedy.  But if there is anything I can teach that could someday help someone else, then I think it is worth the risk.

Since 2007, an unusual string of infant deaths has occurred to families living in military housing facilities in Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  A panic is setting in and moms are lighting up military message boards, Facebook forums, and Twitter feeds with concerns over their children’s safety.

Two babies had died in the same base only three months apart.  Another child died suddenly at this base two years earlier.  Seven other infants have died mysteriously at nearby housing units in Fort Bragg.

These military housing units were investigated for toxic Chinese drywall and toxic mold.  I am told results came back negative.

Now, the reason this concerns me is because this is not the first time I have reported on Fort Bragg.  You may remember, a few months back I wrote an entry about how a barracks in Fort Bragg was filled with mold after a sewage backup left three inches of sewage water stagnant.  This was caused by maintenance control issues.  The building was unused for 15 months and not regularly maintained.

I do not believe the victims of these families lived in this particular barracks, but it is questionable.  Doctors have been baffled about the causes of death.  One mother described her son as “congested, snotty, coughing, vomiting and just wouldn’t keep anything down.”  His condition improved after spending a few days in the hospital.  But upon returning home he became sick again and died on April 2009 at the age of 2.

These are possible mold symptoms, and the pattern of his illness suggests a problem with the home.

There have been numerous controversial studies regarding links between mold and infant deaths.  The most famous and controversial involved 10 infant deaths from pulmonary infections in Cleveland in the early 90s.  The incident made a name out of Dr. Dorr Dearborn, a pulmonary specialist who diagnosed the infants with mold infections.  Dearborn went on to treat and warn others of the dangers of toxic mold.

One cause of death out of the 10 Fort Bragg deaths was diagnosed by a doctor to be the result of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome.  SIDS itself is unexplained, so that’s not an adequate diagnosis.  However, I could point out a study from New Zealand that connects Sudden Infant Death Syndrome itself to mold.

But officials at Fort Bragg have made very definitive statements that there is no toxic mold in these houses.  Who am I to question this?  They have urged residents to remain calm and suggested the deaths are merely coincidental.

I would suggest that everyone reading this educate themselves on the potential dangers of toxic mold.  I would start by checking out this comprehensive list of possible symptoms.  If you are in need of mold remediation, please find a reputable mold remover by comparing several mold removal estimates and learning about each of their mold removal methods.

Tagged as: children, fort bragg, guardian, health, infant deaths, mold infection, mold remediation, Mold Removal, SIDS, sudden infant death syndrome, toxic mold

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