Lara family reveal teen’s health nightmare after black mould infestation discovered in home

A Geelong mother has told of her horror to discover a black mould infestation in her family home that was silently killing her son, who has since been diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disorder.

Janelle, Seb and Daniel Bridge at their Lara home. Seb is battling a rare health condition caused by mould in his family home discovered by chance in June. Picture: Alan Barber

A Geelong mother has told of her horror to discover a black mould infestation in her family home that was silently killing her son, who has since been diagnosed with a rare auto-immune disorder.

Lara’s Janelle Bridge, 38, has issued a warning about the sickening effects of the secret build up inside her bathroom floor and walls that has rendered her son, Seb, a shadow of his former self.

The 13-year-old was diagnosed with Crohn’s disease – a dangerous illness that affects the lining of the digestive tract – and impaired liver function “out of the blue” last year, conditions that didn’t sit right with Ms Bridge.

“He’s always been so healthy,” she said.

“We had no idea what was happening.”

It took a chance intervention to provide an answer to his ailing health when Seb noticed a “bubble” on the hallway wall and decided to poke it.

His finger quickly disappeared inside the hole.

“The wall had fallen away,” Ms Bridge said.

Behind the plaster was infested with dangerous black mould, and the family would later learn the subfloor under the bathroom tiles had turned to compost.

A black mould infestation found in the home of Lara mum Janelle Bridge that was making her son chronically ill. Photo: Supplied.

“It was a bit of a shock, but it was also a jackpot moment,” Ms Bridge said.

“At least we knew what was making him sick.”

Liver function tests revealed Seb’s levels were elevated to seven times the normal range due to the mould he had been ingesting.

“If the condition went untreated you can die,” she said.

“It was such a silent killer.”

The Lara Secondary School student now suffers from chronic inflammatory response syndrome caused by the mould toxicity.

His stomach is inflamed as his body releases the deadly toxins from his liver and he was again recently rushed to hospital with pancreatitis.

Black mould inside a wall that was silently killing Seb Bridge, 13. Photo: Supplied.

“Essentially he is detoxing from mould, which is pretty much as hard as detoxing from drugs,” Ms Bridge said.

“It’s scary to see. Generally he was a pretty healthy kid but to see him down to 36 kilograms is quite confronting.”

The family has lived without a bathroom since June and now face a repair bill estimated to be $40,000.

“It has been a nightmare, really,” Ms Bridge said.

In some rare positive news for the family, Seb’s liver function levels have returned to normal for the first time in 18 months.

A number of fundraising efforts are underway to try to assist the family, including a GoFundMe and a charity event to be held at The Sphinx Hotel on October 18.

Originally published as Lara family reveal teen’s health nightmare after black mould infestation discovered in home