Summary: Young children exposed to unusually high temperatures are less likely to reach basic developmental milestones in literacy and numeracy. Analyzing data from over 19,000 children across multiple countries, the study found that average maximum temperatures above 86 °F were associated with measurable declines in early learning outcomes.
These effects were especially strong for children in economically disadvantaged households and areas with limited resources. The findings highlight the urgent need for climate adaptation strategies that protect early development in a warming world.
Key Facts
- Heat Exposure Matters: Temperatures above 86 °F were linked to lower literacy and numeracy milestone achievement.
- Vulnerable Groups: Effects were stronger for children from disadvantaged households and urban environments.
- Global Concern: Early development is foundational for lifelong learning and health, making climate-driven delays a major public health issue.
Source: NYU
Climate change—including high temperatures and heat waves—has been shown to pose serious risks to the environment, food systems, and human health, but new research finds that it may also lead to delays in early childhood development.
Published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, the study found that children exposed to higher-than-usual temperatures—specifically, average maximum temperatures above 86 °F (30 °C)—were less likely to meet developmental milestones for literacy and numeracy, relative to children living in areas with lower temperatures.
“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,” says lead author Jorge Cuartas, assistant professor of applied psychology at NYU Steinhardt.
“Because early development lays the foundation for lifelong learning, physical and mental health, and overall well-being, these findings should alert researchers, policymakers, and practitioners to the urgent need to protect children’s development in a warming world.”
Cuartas and his co-authors analyzed data for 19,607 three- and four-year-olds from Gambia, Georgia, Madagascar, Malawi, Palestine, and Sierra Leone, selected because they had detailed data on child development, household factors, and climate, which allowed the researchers to estimate children’s exposure to different temperatures.
To assess children’s development, the researchers used the Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI), which measures basic developmental milestones in four areas: skills related to reading and numbers (literacy and numeracy), social-emotional development, approaches to learning, and physical development.
They also used 2017-2020 data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS), a database with demographic information and indicators on wellbeing, including education, health, nutrition, and sanitation.
Merging the ECDI and MICS data with climate data on average monthly temperatures, they determined whether there were any links between heat exposure and early childhood development.
They found that children who were exposed to average maximum temperatures above 86 °F (30 °C) were 5 to 6.7 percent less likely to meet basic developmental milestones for literacy and numeracy compared to children exposed to temperatures lower than 78.8 °F in the same region and season. These effects were more pronounced among children from economically disadvantaged households, households with less access to clean water, and from urban areas.
“We urgently need more research to identify the mechanisms that explain these effects and the factors that either protect children or heighten their vulnerability. Such work will help pinpoint concrete targets for policies and interventions that strengthen preparedness, adaptation, and resilience as climate change intensifies,” says Cuartas.
This study was co-authored by Lenin H. Balza of the Interamerican Development Bank, Andrés Camacho of the University of Chicago, and Nicolás Gómez-Parra of the Interamerican Development Bank.
Key Questions Answered:
A: Children exposed to higher-than-usual temperatures were significantly less likely to meet literacy and numeracy milestones, indicating heat-related impacts on early learning.
A: Those from economically disadvantaged households, urban areas, or with limited access to clean water showed stronger negative effects.
A: Understanding how heat exposure hinders early development can guide climate adaptation efforts, educational planning, and public health strategies.
Editorial Notes:
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- Journal paper reviewed in full.
- Additional context added by our staff.
About this neurodevelopment research news
Author: Jade McClain
Source: NYU
Contact: Jade McClain – NYU
Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access.
“Ambient Heat and Early Childhood Development: A Cross-National Analysis” by Jorge Cuartas et al. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry
Abstract
Ambient Heat and Early Childhood Development: A Cross-National Analysis
Background
Increasing evidence suggests that climate change, along with its cascading impacts on ecosystems, societies, and communities, has significant effects on both physical and mental health. However, less is known about how exposure to excessive heat early in life may influence the development of foundational skills that shape lifelong developmental trajectories.
This study examined the effects of ambient heat on early childhood development across six countries, using geographic and time-stamped data on child development and ambient temperature.
Methods
Our primary outcome is the Early Childhood Development Index. We used linear probability models with geographic and seasonality fixed effects to account for baseline climatic conditions, as well as other individual and contextual covariates to address potential selection bias.
The sample comprised 19,607 children aged three and four from Georgia, The Gambia, Madagascar, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and the State of Palestine, all participants in Multiple Indicators Cluster Surveys collected between 2017 and 2020. We merged these data with temperature data from the ERA5-Land Monthly Aggregated Climate Dataset, calculating the mean monthly maximum temperature children experienced from birth to interview.
Results
We found that children exposed to average maximum temperatures above 32°C were less likely to be developmentally on track compared to those exposed to cooler temperatures, even after accounting for baseline average climatic conditions and other covariates.
Domain-specific models indicate that these effects were most pronounced in literacy and numeracy skills. Subgroup analyses revealed that the negative impacts were particularly severe for children in economically disadvantaged households and urban areas, and for those lacking access to adequate water and sanitation.
Conclusions
This study highlights the potential impact of excessive heat on early childhood development, emphasizing the need for policies and interventions that enhance preparedness, adaptation, and resilience to support human development in an rapidly warming world.
