Some microorganisms negatively affect the body. To date, research has shown two fungi, Penicillium and Stachybotrys, have been linked to this syndrome. These fungi usually grow and cause air problems when building materials, such as walls and carpets, become wet. Combined with a dirty environment, the fungi grow.

The ASHRAE definition is as follows:SICK BUILDING SYNDROME: "SBS" If more than 20 percent of the building occupants complain of such problems as headache, eye irritation, fatigue and dizziness for more than two weeks; if the symptoms are relieved when the complainant leaves the building; and, if no specific cause of the problem can be identified. (ASHRAE Journal, July 1988, p.40)

SBS is used to describe situations in which building occupants suffer from acute health and comfort disorders. The complaints appear to be linked to the time spent in a building, but no specific illness or cause can be identified. The complaints may be localized in a particular room or zone or may be widespread through a building.

The Green Resource Center has a growing library on indoor air quality information, including household problems such as cleaning products, molds, carbon monoxide, lead paint, and gasses released from carpets and furnishings. You may come in, browse, and talk with a GRC volunteer for information and referrals.

Sick building syndrome usually occurs in commercial buildings with inadequate ventilation systems. We recommend a simple system of ventilation using building physics, that ensures a constant supply of fresh air, with a minimum of heat loss and a minimum of moisture-laden air retained in the structure to cause mildew and other unhealthy environmental conditions.

Mold, mildew, plumbing problems, tightly sealed buildings, off gases from carpets, glues, copy machines, furniture, etc. Eye, nose throat, and skin irritations, respiratory infections, headaches, fatigue, coughing, wheezing, nausea, dizziness and lethargy.

Reducing risk factors for heart disease is important to slow the development of coronary artery disease. Staying healthy will lessen the chance that you will develop bradycardia that is caused by coronary artery disease and other heart conditions. People at high risk for heart disease and those with heart disease are encouraged to develop a specific program designed to reduce their risk factors.

Mold Warriors' careful scientific definitions will help you figure out whether you have the symptoms of neurotoxic illness. An included series of biological markers-including the gene susceptibility HLA DR test and the visual contrast sensitivity (VCS) test-will also help you sort out whether the illness could be related to mold toxins, such as from exposure to water-damaged buildings.

Look at the first letter of the call number to find the stack level on which the book is shelved, or go to the proper department. A printed guide to the bookstacks is also available. You will need a picture ID to enter stacks. If a book is not on the shelf or you can't find it, a librarian can accompany you to the stacks to help you locate it. Be creative when you try to think how it might be misshelved.

What distinguishes Asperger's Syndrome from autism is the severity of the symptoms and the absence of language delays. Children with Asperger's may be only mildly affected and frequently have good language and cognitive skills. To the untrained observer, a child with Asperger's may seem just like a normal child behaving differently. They may be socially awkward, not understanding of conventional social rules, or show a lack of empathy.

Syndrome" is a medical term for a condition in which there is a collection of signs (observable body changes) and symptoms (problems observed by the patient) recognizable by a doctor's exam. Individuals with a syndrome may not have all of its associated signs and symptoms, but they must have enough to be considered "diagnostic." Conversely, because someone may display some of the signs and symptoms of a syndrome, does not necessarily mean they have it.

HELLP Syndrome occurs in 4 percent to 12 percent of the women who have preeclampsia. It is one of the most severe forms of preeclampsia. HELLP stands for: hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and lowered platelets. HELLP Syndrome most often affects the liver, causing stomach and right shoulder pain. HELLP Syndrome is most dangerous because it can occur before you exhibit the classic symptoms of preeclampsia. It is often mistaken for the flu or gallbladder problems.

Only 3 to 5% of cases are inherited; the rest arise as an accident of chromosome arrangement during meiosis. For details, see my essay on the origin of trisomy 21 or Dr. Paul Benke's essay on the types of DS, and the risk and recurrence risk of DS. No. Down syndrome occurs at conception, so nothing in the pregnancy can cause Down syndrome to occur. As for prior to conception, the research all shows that drug or alcohol use does not increase the risk of having a child with DS.

Tourette Syndrome TS) is a neurological disorder characterized by tics -- involuntary, rapid, sudden movements or vocalizations that occur repeatedly in the same way.

The air in many homes contains harmful pollutants that are invisible, odorless and not readily detected. These substances can be more detrimental than the air outside and can cause health problems such as irritated eyes and nose, headaches, dizziness, tiredness, infections and respiratory diseases. When windows and doors are closed, the house cannot breathe and rid itself of these elements. Moisture further aggravates the condition, by having the capacity to trap and contain these contaminants.

Sick Building Syndrome is diagnosed when an excess of work related irritations of the skin and mucous membranes and other symptoms, including headache, fatigue, and difficulty concentrating, are reported by workers in modern office buildings. The symptoms can be clinically defined and have clearly identifiable causes. This could lead to lowered worker moral, increased health care costs, and the loss of revenue associated with lower worker productivity.

Symptoms wax and wane. However, some medical professionals feel symptoms can peak out in 1-3 years in some patients, while others seem to have consistent symptoms that may have several years' duration. Most medical professionals do not feel it is contagious, especially since we have known about it for several years and there has been no "mass epidemic."