Updated September 16, 2015.

People who have fall allergy and asthma problems often feel worse during late summer and early autumn months. As vacations wind down and kids go back to school, you're dealing with sneezing, wheezing, and coughing once again. Fall allergies can get in the way of those activities in a big way.
Some people deal with allergy and asthma symptoms year round, because they're triggered by substances found in the everyday living environment.

Other people only deal with the symptoms at certain times of the year, if they have the outdoor type of seasonal allergies, meaning that triggers are commonly found outdoors, rather than indoors. And still others have allergic asthma symptoms year round but find they get much worse in the late summer and early fall, when certain triggers are most present.

Common fall allergy and asthma symptoms can include:

• Sneezing
• Nasal stuffiness
• Runny nose
• Itchy, watery, burning eyes
• Itchy mouth or throat
• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Difficulty breathing
• Tight feeling in the chest

Kids with asthma and allergies may also have what is known as the allergic salute, where they rub their noses upward because of itching and have allergic shiners, which are dark circles under the eyes caused by nasal congestion. These are all just the typical symptoms of fall allergy and asthma sufferers. Nothing is different in the fall, except that if you are allergic to fall allergens, your symptoms may increase.

Common Fall Allergens or Triggers

Seasonal allergies can occur at different times in different parts of the United States and other countries, depending on climate and location.

When summer starts to wind down, harvest time begins and autumn leaves begin to change color and fall to the ground, though, chances are that fall allergy and asthma challenges are about to begin. The most common early fall allergens, or triggers, are weed pollens, especially ragweed. Pollen are tiny egg-shaped male cells found in flowering plants. You may know pollen better as the tiny, powdery granules that plants use during the fertilization process. The size of a typical pollen spore is smaller in diameter than a human hair.
Toward the end of summer, around mid-August in most of the United States, weed pollens levels start to rise. They tend to be at their highest levels during late summer and fall. Some common weed allergens are:

• Ragweed
• Cockleweeds
• Pigweed
• Russian thistle
• Sagebrush
• Tumbleweed

Another type of allergen that is most active during the fall (although they can begin in late summer) are mold spores. Mold and its spores are a powerful allergen in people who have allergic asthma with a sensitivity to mold. Mold can grow both inside and out, so it can be an indoor asthma trigger, as well as an outdoor asthma trigger. It's the outdoor type of mold, though, that causes the most allergy and asthma problems in the fall.

The most common types of molds that are asthma triggers include:

• alternaria
• cladosporium
• aspergillus

Influencing Factors

The type of pollen that triggers allergies is a lightweight airborne powder. So it is easily spread far and wide on windy days. When it is rainy, though, the rain washes the pollen spores away and pollen counts tend to be lower, which brings relief from symptoms.
Molds don't have a specific growing season as pollen does. Their growth is related more to environmental factors, such as heat, wind and humidity, rather than a time of year. Since heat and humidity are often highest in the late summer/early fall, though, in many areas, that's when mold spore levels are highest. In temperate climates, such as the southern United States and western United States coast, though, outdoor molds may be active year round. Outdoor molds are found in piles of dead leaves, soil, vegetation and rotting wood.

How Fall Allergies and Asthma Are Diagnosed

If you notice that your allergy and asthma symptoms crop up ? or worsen ? during the fall, there's a good chance that you have fall allergies. To find out for sure, make an appointment to see your doctor. Your doctor may decide to refer you to an allergist, who can do formal allergy testing to find out exactly what weeds or molds you may be allergic to. Mold spores are often at their highest levels outdoors in the late summer & fall Photo © A.D.A.M. Dealing with Seasonal Allergic Asthma People who have fall allergy and asthma problems often feel worse during late summer and early autumn months. As vacations wind down and kids go back to school, you're dealing with sneezing, wheezing, and coughing once again. Fall allergies can get in the way of those activities in a big way.
Some people deal with allergy and asthma symptoms year round, because they're triggered by substances found in the everyday living environment. Other people only deal with the symptoms at certain times of the year, if they have the outdoor type of seasonal allergies, meaning that triggers are commonly found outdoors, rather than indoors. And still others have allergic asthma symptoms year round but find they get much worse in the late summer and early fall, when certain triggers are most present.

Common fall allergy and asthma symptoms can include:

• Sneezing
• Nasal stuffiness
• Runny nose
• Itchy, watery, burning eyes
• Itchy mouth or throat
• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Difficulty breathing
• Tight feeling in the chest

Kids with asthma and allergies may also have what is known as the allergic salute, where they rub their noses upward because of itching and have allergic shiners, which are dark circles under the eyes caused by nasal congestion. These are all just the typical symptoms of fall allergy and asthma sufferers. Nothing is different in the fall, except that if you are allergic to fall allergens, your symptoms may increase.

Common Fall Allergens or Triggers

Seasonal allergies can occur at different times in different parts of the United States and other countries, depending on climate and location. When summer starts to wind down, harvest time begins and autumn leaves begin to change color and fall to the ground, though, chances are that fall allergy and asthma challenges are about to begin. The most common early fall allergens, or triggers, are weed pollens, especially ragweed. Pollen are tiny egg-shaped male cells found in flowering plants. You may know pollen better as the tiny, powdery granules that plants use during the fertilization process. The size of a typical pollen spore is smaller in diameter than a human hair.
Toward the end of summer, around mid-August in most of the United States, weed pollens levels start to rise. They tend to be at their highest levels during late summer and fall. Some common weed allergens are:

• Ragweed
• Cockleweeds
• Pigweed
• Russian thistle
• Sagebrush
• Tumbleweed

Another type of allergen that is most active during the fall (although they can begin in late summer) are mold spores. Mold and its spores are a powerful allergen in people who have allergic asthma with a sensitivity to mold. Mold can grow both inside and out, so it can be an indoor asthma trigger, as well as an outdoor asthma trigger. It's the outdoor type of mold, though, that causes the most allergy and asthma problems in the fall.

The most common types of molds that are asthma triggers include:

• alternaria
• cladosporium
• aspergillus

Influencing Factors

The type of pollen that triggers allergies is a lightweight airborne powder. So it is easily spread far and wide on windy days. When it is rainy, though, the rain washes the pollen spores away and pollen counts tend to be lower, which brings relief from symptoms.
Molds don't have a specific growing season as pollen does. Their growth is related more to environmental factors, such as heat, wind and humidity, rather than a time of year. Since heat and humidity are often highest in the late summer/early fall, though, in many areas, that's when mold spore levels are highest. In temperate climates, such as the southern United States and western United States coast, though, outdoor molds may be active year round. Outdoor molds are found in piles of dead leaves, soil, vegetation and rotting wood.

How Fall Allergies and Asthma Are Diagnosed

If you notice that your allergy and asthma symptoms crop up ? or worsen ? during the fall, there's a good chance that you have fall allergies. To find out for sure, make an appointment to see your doctor. Your doctor may decide to refer you to an allergist, who can do formal allergy testing to find out exactly what weeds or molds you may be allergic to.