A new study published in the journal Science Advances finds that climate change has added at least one month of heat stress per year for 560 million children under age 10, or 43 percent of that age group globally. The research, led by Rosa Pietroiusti of Vrije Universiteit Brussel, used an international standard for moderate heat stress based on a WetBulb Globe Temperature of 28 degrees Celsius, which factors in heat, humidity, wind speed, and cloud cover. Pietroiusti said the findings should raise public awareness that climate change is already affecting the health of the most vulnerable. Children are disproportionately affected compared to older people, with nearly triple the number of kids aged 0-9 facing climate-induced heat stress as people aged 60-69.
The highest increases in heat stress occur in countries in the Global South, which have contributed least to fossil fuel pollution but have younger populations and less access to air conditioning or weather-resistant infrastructure. If global warming reaches 2 degrees Celsius, the number of children under 10 exposed to an extra month of heat stress would rise to 650 million. Heat stress can cause dehydration, heat stroke, and organ failure, and the World Health Organization lists heat as a leading cause of weather-related deaths globally. Babies and children are especially susceptible because their higher surface area-to-body mass ratio makes them overheat more easily, and their sweat glands are still developing.
For parents in the United States, the American Academy of Pediatrics recommends avoiding taking babies outside for long stretches when the “feels like” temperature exceeds 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The author of the study commentary describes how this summer’s heatwaves kept her family indoors from mid-morning until after sunset, limiting walks and outdoor time that can be beneficial for postpartum mental health. She notes she is fortunate to have a car and home air conditioning, unlike many families. Power outages, which have grown longer in the US as extreme weather becomes more common, forced her family to pack up and head to a relative’s house to keep cool and protect stored breastmilk.
Heat-related illness is preventable if a child can find a cool place, and the study’s authors point to solar and wind energy as alternatives that do not emit planet-heating pollution. The report highlights that public safety warnings for heat often arrive with less urgency than those for storms, despite heat being a leading cause of weather-related death. The author recounts taking her infant to the beach, where the bright sun caused him to fuss, illustrating how even simple outdoor activities become challenging in extreme heat. The story underscores how rising temperatures are reshaping daily life for families, particularly those with young children, in ways that go beyond discomfort to affect health and safety.
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