Can the Weather Affect My Child's Asthma? Yes. Weather conditions can bring on asthma symptoms. Some kids' asthma symptoms get worse at certain times of the year. For others, a severe storm or sudden weather change can trigger a flare-up. Cold, dry air is a common asthma trigger and can cause bad flare-ups. That's especially true for people who play winter sports and have exercise-induced asthma. Hot, humid air also can be a problem. In some places, heat and sunlight combine with pollutants to create ground-level ozone. This kind of ozone can be a strong asthma trigger. Wet weather and windy weather can cause problems too. Wet weather encourages mold growth, and wind can blow mold and pollen through the air. If you think weather plays a role in your child's asthma, keep a diary of asthma symptoms and possible triggers and discuss them with your doctor. If pollen, mold, or other allergens make asthma symptoms worse, ask about allergy testing. How Can We Avoid Weather Triggers? Once you know what kind of weather triggers asthma symptoms, try these tips to protect your child: Watch the forecast for pollen and mold counts plus other conditions (extreme cold or heat) that might affect your child's asthma. Limit your child's outdoor activities on peak trigger days. Make sure your child wears a scarf over the mouth and nose when outside in very cold weather. Keep windows closed at night to keep pollen and molds out. If it's hot, use air conditioning, which cleans, cools, and dries the air. Keep your child indoors early in the morning (before 10 a.m.) when pollen is at its highest. Your child shouldn't mow the lawn or rake leaves, and should be kept away from freshly cut grass and leaf piles. Dry clothes in the dryer (hanging clothes or sheets to dry can allow mold or pollen to collect on them). Make sure your child always has quick-relief medicine (also called rescue or fast-acting medicine) on hand. Your child's written asthma action plan should list weather triggers and ways to manage them, including any seasonal changes in medicine. Back to Articles Related Articles Asthma Center Asthma keeps more kids home from school than any other chronic illness. Learn how to help your child manage the condition, stay healthy, and stay in school. Read More Asthma Center Asthma means breathing problems. Find out what's going on in the lungs and how to stay healthy, if you have it. Read More Your House: How to Make It Asthma-Safe If you have asthma, you want to breathe easy at home. Find out how in this article for kids. Read More Asthma Center Visit our Asthma Center for information and advice on managing and living with asthma. Read More Can the Weather Affect My Asthma? Weather can affect a person's asthma. Find out how in this article for kids. Read More Can the Weather Affect a Person's Asthma? The weather can affect your asthma symptoms. If you think weather may be triggering your asthma, here are some tips for dealing with it. Read More Dealing With Asthma Triggers Find out what can make your asthma worse, and what to do about it. Read More Do Allergies Cause Asthma? Allergies don't cause asthma, but kids who have allergies are more likely to get asthma. Read More Air Pollution and Asthma Ground-level ozone and other air pollutants can trigger asthma flare-ups. But there are steps you can take to minimize your child's exposure. Read More Dealing With Asthma Triggers If you have asthma, certain things may cause you to cough and have trouble breathing. Find out more about asthma triggers in this article for kids. Read More Allergy Shots Many kids battle allergies year-round, and some can't control their symptoms with medications. For them, allergy shots (or allergen immunotherapy) can help. Read More Asthma Asthma makes it hard to breathe. Find out more in this article for kids. Read More Asthma Asthma is a lung condition that makes it hard to breathe. Learn all about asthma here. Read More Managing Asthma Asthma control can take a little time and energy to master, but it's worth the effort. Learn more about ways to manage your child's asthma. Read More Asthma Triggers Triggers — things in the air, weather conditions, or activities — can cause asthma flare-ups. By knowing and avoiding triggers, you'll help lessen your child's asthma symptoms. Read More Note: All information is for educational purposes only. For specific medical advice, diagnoses, and treatment, consult your doctor. © 1995-2021 KidsHealth®. All rights reserved. Images provided by The Nemours Foundation, iStock, Getty Images, Veer, Shutterstock, and Clipart.com.