A new review reveals that increasing global temperatures are having a measurable negative impact on children’s mental health, with heatwaves intensifying risks despite growing awareness of physical health dangers.
A new review of evidence suggests rising temperatures are taking a measurable toll on children’s mental health, with the sharpest effects seen during heatwaves. The analysis, published in the International Journal of Epidemiology, found that a 1C rise in daily temperature was linked with a 0.9% increase in mental health-related illness among children, while the risk during heatwaves rose by 25%. Researchers said the findings add to growing concern that climate change is not only a physical health threat but also a psychological one for the young.
The review combined results from 23 studies and found that children and adolescents aged 5 to 18 were the most exposed to heat-related mental health harms. The risk was especially pronounced in high-income countries and in humid subtropical and hot-summer humid continental climate zones. The pattern points to a mix of environmental and social factors, including urban heat islands, which can make cities significantly hotter than surrounding areas and may increase the burden on families seeking support.
Researchers said the reasons children are more vulnerable are rooted in both development and daily life. Younger people are still growing, which makes them less able to tolerate heat stress, and they are also less likely to take protective steps during extreme weather. Jacqueline Stephens, an associate professor of epidemiology at Flinders University, said heat can disrupt outdoor activity, schooling and recreation, as well as sleep in warm nights, all of which can affect emotional regulation. She also said there may be indirect effects from increased stress on parents and greater family tension during prolonged heat.
The findings fit a wider scientific picture that is becoming harder to ignore. A separate scoping review in The Journal of Climate Change and Health found that extreme heat events have become more frequent over the past five decades and highlighted the need for more research on how children adapt to these threats. An editorial in the Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry also noted evidence linking higher temperatures with worse mental health outcomes, including higher suicide incidence and more hospital presentations during heatwaves. Sidae Hira Fatima, a postdoctoral researcher at the University of Canberra, said the next step is to understand where and how children encounter heat in everyday life so that practical measures, such as cooler classrooms, better ventilation and shaded outdoor spaces, can be tested properly.
Disclaimer: This content is for informational purposes only and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical judgment, advice, diagnosis, or treatment.
