Study Links Heat Waves to Declines in Early Childhood Literacy and Math Skills

A new study indicates that rising temperatures due to climate change adversely affect cognitive development in young children, particularly in reading and math skills.

The research, published in the "Journal of Pediatric Psychology and Medicine for 2025," highlights that children aged 3 to 4 years who experience frequent exposure to extreme heat show marked declines in their reading, writing, and mathematical abilities. This study expands on previous findings that identified cognitive performance declines in adults and adolescents due to heat exposure, noting that temperatures exceeding 32 degrees Celsius can reduce cognitive function in adults by approximately 10% and negatively impact student test scores.

This study is one of the first to examine how extreme heat affects foundational cognitive skills during early childhood, a critical period for developing the cognitive structures that influence future educational outcomes.

The research team utilized data from the Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI), which included 19,607 children from Georgia, Gambia, Madagascar, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and Palestine, covering the years 2017 to 2020. They correlated this data with high-resolution temperature readings from the ERA5-Land system, employing advanced statistical models that considered factors such as poverty levels, maternal education, and seasonal and regional variations.

The findings revealed that children exposed to average maximum temperatures above 32° C were less likely to achieve typical developmental milestones, particularly in reading and mathematics. The effects were notably more severe among vulnerable groups, including children from low-income families, those living in overcrowded urban areas, and those lacking access to clean water and adequate sanitation.

Researchers suggest that extreme heat may impede brain development through several mechanisms, including dehydration, activation of the stress response system, inflammation or damage to nerve cells, and disruptions to sleep and physical activity, all of which are essential for early cognitive growth.

While the authors call for further comprehensive studies, they emphasize the clear implications of their findings, underscoring the urgent need for policies and interventions aimed at safeguarding child development in a warming world. The study team stated: "These results highlight the critical need for strategies to protect children's cognitive development as global temperatures rise."

These findings are particularly concerning given that over a third of the world's children are increasingly exposed to heat waves, signaling a pressing challenge for educators, health professionals, and policymakers. The research suggests that without effective measures, the educational prospects of children, especially in hot or resource-limited regions, may be significantly jeopardized.