Amie Skilton was unaware she was living in a water-damaged building with active leaks. The once-perfectly healthy Aussie began to suffer from chronic congestion and fatigue. Eventually, she began to struggle with memory. It began small but then became debilitating. One day, she couldn’t remember her own name. When she discovered the mold in her home and moved away, her dementia-like symptoms slowly disappeared. She is now fully healthy again and became a qualified Mold Testing Technician to help educate others about the dangers of mold.
A New Home With Water Damage
In 2016, Skilton moved into a new apartment with her now-husband. The naturopath/nutritionist was 37 at the time and had just completed a 9 km fun run, and within the previous six months, traveled to the U.S. to speak at two conferences and delivered 39 keynote addresses. “My brain was fine and my body was fine,” said Skilton to news.com.au in 2022. However, the shower’s waterproofing was faulty after a recent renovation, and every time it was used, water leaked under the carpet.
Mold Caused Dementia-Like Symptoms
“I started getting sick, noticeably sick, about two months in,” she explained. “It may have taken that long just because it was over summer and it was really sunny, we always had the windows open and we never registered that there was a leak at all.” The mold slowly started to take a toll. “The first symptoms that I noticed were allergies, chronic allergies… I put on 10 kilos in a matter of months and had really bad fatigue.”
She Forgot Her Own Name
The last symptom to arrive was declining brain function. She began to struggle with focusing and working. Then she had trouble leaving the house because she couldn’t remember where she placed items like her phone and keys. “Some days I couldn’t figure out how to get dressed. I would look at clothes and I’d just be really confused as to how to put them on,” she said. Then she couldn’t remember her own name. “I went 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? I was staring at it, searching for it…”
Finding Mold
However, doctors couldn’t understand what was going on with her because her blood tests came back normal and no one discovered the mold yet. But in early 2017, one of Skilton’s friend posted that her husband’s health has been impacted by his genetic sensitivity to mold. So Skilton called a building biologist who found the problem. “The carpet looked totally fine on top but when she lifted it there was all this black mold. When we finally stripped back our mattress cover the mattress was green,” she said.
Diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome
During this period, Skilton was diagnosed with Chronic Inflammatory Response Syndrome (CIRS) based on the work of Dr. Ritchie Shoemaker. This is an illness that comes from toxin exposure, such as mold, that can usually be reversed primarily by identifying and eliminating the toxin, says Medicine Net. Symptoms of CIRS include fatigue, sinus congestion, joint pain, cramp, excessive thirst, headaches, metallic taste in the mouth, blurred vision, diarrhea, poor body temperature regulation, skin sensitivity and rashes, as well as dementia-like effects such as impaired memory function, difficulty concentrating, and confusion. Fortunately, she has made a full recovery after moving to a mold-free home.
Read More: How to Know if Mold is Making You Sick
Sick With Mold
Anyone can suffer from mold, especially those with asthma, allergies, poor immune function, etc. Healthline lists common symptoms such as wheezing, itchy eyes, rashes, stuffy noses, and according to some studies, neurological issues like headaches, mood swings, brain fog, fibromyalgia, and seizures. The CDC recommends removing mold immediately; the type does not matter since the health effects are more dependent on the individual rather than the mold species.
“Type 3 Alzheimer’s” Controversy
Amie Skilton’s story was met with some controversy from health experts from Dementia Australia. This is because of her claims she had suffered from Type 3 Alzheimer’s or Inhalation Alzheimer’s from the mold exposure. In a 2022 Facebook post, she explains how Type 3 Alzheimer’s affected her ability to communicate, do math, learn, navigate and orient herself, and remember basic information. She cites neurologist Dr. Dale Bredesen whose research has pioneered the term, though his controversial work has not been widely recognized.
“Mold Can’t Cause Alzheimer’s…”
ABC’s Media Watch asked Dementia Australia about the validity of Skilton’s claims that mold had caused Alzheimer’s. Three medical advisors from the organization responded, “There is nothing in the recognized, scientific literature which would validate black mould contributing to the development of Alzheimer’s disease. Nor is Type 3 Alzheimer’s a recognised diagnosis…” Furthermore, they criticized the claim that Skilton’s Alzheimer’s had been cured. “There is no recognised scientific evidence of degenerative dementias such as Alzheimer’s… being reversed or cured.”
Skilton’s Response
In a response to Media Watch, Skilton cited Bredesen’s work. She also clarified that not everyone with CIRS will develop cognitive issues as she had. She added, “Type 3 Alzheimer’s is not a term that is interchangeable with CIRS[;] however in a subpopulation of those that are genetically susceptible [to] CIRS, it is one outcome that might be anticipated.” Then she spoke about the dangers of mold at two conferences, and various keynotes. “As you can see, I am dedicated to raising awareness on this issue wherever and whenever I can. And I have been ever since I was well enough to speak about it.” Skilton is now a qualified Mold Testing Technician and offers courses on how to detect and eliminate mold.
Read More: Don’t Underestimate Mold Exposure