Managing Asthma Through the Seasons

Changing seasons

As the weather changes, different asthma triggers are present in the air. During the spring allergy season, pollen from trees and grasses can become a factor in causing asthma symptoms. Certain grass pollen counts remain high during the summer months. In the fall, ragweed pollen counts can go sky high. Outdoor molds can be airborne from spring until there is a hard frost in the fall. And viral illnesses are much more common during the winter cold and flu season.

Seasonal asthma triggers can cause or worsen your child’s asthma symptoms. As you learn which times of the year your child is more susceptible to asthma symptoms—for example, during the cold and flu season—you can be better prepared to take control.

Use this chart to identify what asthma triggers may affect your child during specific seasons.

^*This is not a complete list of asthma triggers or tips for avoiding them, but it highlights some things to look out for throughout the seasons.

Talk to your child’s doctor about specific steps you can take to help manage your child’s asthma symptoms and ask if a controller medicine is the right fit for your child.

It’s important to prepare for the times of year when you know different triggers will affect your child’s asthma. Work with his or her health care team to make it part of an ongoing action plan.