A recent study revealed that climate change could endanger children’s intellectual development.
According to a study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, children exposed to increased temperature than usual, average highs above 86°F, are less likely to accomplish achievements in literacy and mathematics.
Lead researcher and an assistant professor of applied psychology at New York University Jorge Cuartas stated, “Early development forms the foundation for lifelong learning, health, and well-being. These findings highlight the urgent need to protect children in a warming world.”
For the study, researchers assessed data from over 19,600 3- and 4-year-olds in Gambia, Madagascar, Malawi, Sierra Leone, Georgia, and Palestine.
Scientists compared children’s education, health, nutrition, and other data with average monthly temperatures to explore associations between heat exposure and early development.
Research found that children exposed to increased temperatures above 86°F were 5% to nearly 7% less likely to achieve major milestones as compared to those exposed to temperatures less than 79°F.
Effects were stronger among children from low-income households, those consuming contaminated water, and residents of underprivileged regions.
Cuartas stated, “While heat exposure has been linked to negative physical and mental health outcomes across the life course, this study provides a new insight that excessive heat negatively impacts young children’s development across diverse countries.”
“We urgently need more research to identify the mechanisms that explain these effects and the factors that either protect children or heighten their vulnerability,” he added.
