HMN 2025: How Extreme heat is linked to lower literacy and numeracy skills in young children

More and more, research is showing that increasing temperatures associated with climate change are affecting human health. A study, recently published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, takes a deeper dive into the impact of extreme heat on the development of young children. The results indicate that kids who are regularly exposed to extreme temperatures are also suffering from some forms of learning impairment.

Heat and cognitive abilities

Many studies have shown links between heat and physical and mental health and impaired learning. For example, one 2021 study showed that excessive heat inhibits children’s and adolescents’ learning abilities and achievement on standardized tests. The study authors also note prior research linking temperatures above 32°C to a nearly 10% reduction in adult cognitive function and accelerated cognitive decline in the adult population.

They also point out different avenues in which climatic changes can result in poor cognitive development, such as adversely affected crop yields at temperatures above 34°C, heightening the risk of food contamination. This affects children’s health and nutrition, which can result in problems with their development.

However, there is still limited evidence on how high ambient temperatures in early life affect foundational developmental skills in children. More than one-third of children globally are highly exposed to heat waves, so a better understanding of these potential effects can help to develop policies and interventions for mitigating these effects.

Linking weather data with child development data

To determine how increased heat might affect developing minds, the research team analyzed geographic and time-stamped Early Childhood Development Index data from 19,607 children aged 3–4 from Georgia, The Gambia, Madagascar, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and the State of Palestine from 2017 to 2020.

This data was combined with high-resolution temperature data from ERA5-Land to link the children’s developmental data to the temperatures that they were exposed to. The team then used linear probability models with geographic and seasonality fixed effects, controlling for individual and contextual covariates, like poverty and the mother’s education.

The results showed that children exposed to average maximum temperatures above 32°C were less likely to be developmentally on track in areas of literacy and numeracy—the ability to understand and work with numbers. Unsurprisingly, the impact was most severe for children from economically disadvantaged households, urban areas, and those lacking access to clean water and sanitation.

The study authors say these results can arise from various heat-related situations. “Excessive heat can impact cognitive development directly and indirectly through several mechanisms, including dehydration, increased activation of the stress response system, neuroinflammation, damage to nerve cells due to inadequate heat dissipation, and disrupted sleep. Similarly, it can reduce children’s physical activity, increase sedentary behavior, and reduce opportunities for interaction with others outside the home.”

Although additional research including more countries and with more precise developmental measures would be helpful for refining the results, it is clear that there is a need for mitigating the effects of extreme heat on both younger and older populations.

“These findings highlight the urgent need for policies and interventions to protect human development in an increasingly warmer world,” the study authors write.

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