Welcome to Fall Newsletter!

The fall, much like the summer, crosses several classes of external triggers. The month of September starts with summer leftovers: grasses and weeds, specifically ragweed. The duration of these irritants is usually dependent of the weather. As soon as the temperature at night drops and the rains and winds increase, the ragweed and grass pollens diminish.

The reduction in grasses and weeds, however, is usually a harbinger of the onset of mold. As the grass gets more moisture from the rains and the temperature falls, the growth of mold and fungus is promoted. You can usually recognize the change by observing more mushrooms growing in your yard. As the leaves fall and absorb moisture from the ground, leave mold spores are released. Ascospores and Alternaria increase dramatically at this time. In 2001, the ragweed count was 3 grains per cubic meter when the mold spore count was 15,000 spores per cubic meter. For those patients with mold allergies this time of year can be overwhelming.

Finally, as the weather gets even colder, the storm windows come down, the heat is turned on, and the internal irritants usually seen in winter begin to bother people again, specifically: house dust and dust mites, animal dander, cigarette smoke, and mold in the moist areas of the house. This is a good time to clean bedrooms thoroughly, re filter the heating outlets, and consider dust covers for the pillows and mattresses. For most children, the bedroom for the next four months will be ten to twelve hours a day. If you can improve the quality of the bedroom air, you can help minimize the allergy symptoms tremendously.