Global review links rising heatwaves to worsening mental health in children

A new global review highlights the increasing mental health risks for children and adolescents amid rising temperatures and frequent heatwaves, calling for integrated climate resilience measures.

Rising temperatures and more frequent heatwaves are emerging as a mental health concern for children and adolescents, not just a physical one, according to a global review published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.

The analysis, which pooled evidence from 23 studies covering children and young people aged 5 to 18, found that mental health problems rose by nearly 1% for every 1C increase in daily temperature. During heatwaves, the risk was about 25% higher. The findings add to a wider body of research showing that extreme heat is becoming more common and that children are especially vulnerable because of their stage of development and dependence on schools, families and outdoor routines.

Researchers said the effects of heat can ripple through daily life in several ways, disrupting sleep, making it harder to regulate emotions and increasing stress within households. The review also linked hot weather and heatwaves with more emergency department visits for conditions including anxiety, depression and suicide attempts. Separate research has similarly pointed to the growing burden of extreme heat on children’s health more broadly, with climate-driven heat events becoming more frequent over the past five decades.

The study’s authors said the findings should push governments and health authorities to treat mental well-being as part of climate resilience planning. They called for practical measures such as cooler classrooms, better ventilation and shaded outdoor areas, alongside a stronger focus on where children are most exposed to heat in daily life. The researchers also noted that the risks appeared higher in developed countries, a pattern they said may reflect urban heat islands as well as greater use of mental health services.