Extreme heat and poverty can hinder child development Riccardo Renato Niels Mayer/Alamy
Research indicates that young children exposed to extreme heat typically exhibit a reduced vocabulary, with fewer words, letters, and numbers understood, suggesting that global warming could negatively affect early human development.
Specifically, when average monthly maximum temperatures reached 32°C (90°F) or higher, children aged 3 and 4 were 2.8 to 12.2 percent less likely to meet developmental benchmarks compared to those in environments with maximum temperatures below 26°C (79°F).
“This marks the first instance in literature demonstrating that excessive heat influences not just physical health but also developmental capabilities,” stated Jorge Quartas from New York University.
Quartas and his team analyzed data from 19,600 children surveyed by UNICEF across Georgia, Gambia, Madagascar, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and the State of Palestine, referencing the early childhood development index. They assessed children’s abilities in naming letters, reading simple words, and recognizing numbers from 1 to 10.
The researchers correlated this data with climate records while adjusting for variables such as poverty, maternal education, and baseline temperatures. Notably, even temperatures of 30°C (86°F) began to adversely affect literacy and numeracy skills, with heat also impeding children’s social, emotional, and physical development to a lesser degree.
“Minor effects in early childhood can become more pronounced over time,” Quartas explains. For instance, children who struggle with number recognition might find it challenging to learn math concepts, potentially falling behind academically.
Heat-related stress remains the primary cause of weather-related fatalities, claiming nearly 500,000 lives annually. A recent rapid assessment estimated that the heatwave in June and July was responsible for 2,300 deaths across 12 European cities, primarily occurring among those aged 65 and older.
The findings also revealed that the impacts of heat extend even to prenatal periods. For instance, temperatures of 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit) during early pregnancy correlated with a 5.6% reduction in the likelihood of successful childhood development.
Children from poorer, urban households with limited access to water resources were found to be more heavily affected by the heat. “Climate change and excessive heat serve as amplifiers of existing threats,” Quartas articulated. “These children are already at a disadvantage.”
Nonetheless, the study may not comprehensively address barriers such as violence and political instability, which can also impede childhood development, as noted by Giulia Pescarini from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.
Further investigations are needed to clarify how heat impacts development, she suggests, noting that low-income households might lack air conditioning, and parents may experience increased stress during heat events.
Pescarini emphasizes that a better understanding of who is affected and how can aid in developing adaptive strategies to support these vulnerable groups.
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Source: www.newscientist.com
