Summary: New cross-national research indicates that unusually high ambient temperatures are associated with lower rates of early learning success in literacy and numeracy. Analyzing data from more than 19,000 three- and four-year-old children across six countries, the study found that average monthly maximum temperatures above 86 °F (30 °C) corresponded with measurable declines in early childhood literacy and numeracy milestone attainment.
These temperature-related declines were strongest among children from economically disadvantaged households, families with limited access to clean water, and those living in urban areas. The findings underscore the importance of climate adaptation and public health strategies that specifically protect early development as global temperatures rise.
Key Facts
- Heat exposure and learning: Average maximum temperatures above 86 °F were linked to reduced likelihood of meeting basic literacy and numeracy milestones.
- Disproportionate vulnerability: Children from poorer households, households lacking adequate water or sanitation, and urban communities experienced larger effects.
- Policy implications: Early childhood development is foundational for lifelong learning and health, so heat-related developmental delays represent a significant public health and education concern.
Source: NYU
Overview: Climate change and extreme heat are increasingly recognized for their impacts on ecosystems, food systems, and adult health. This study extends that evidence to early childhood development, showing that exposure to higher-than-usual temperatures can hinder the acquisition of basic early learning skills.
Published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, the analysis used household and developmental data from the Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) merged with high-resolution climate data. The research focused on six countries with detailed, location-specific child development and household information: The Gambia, Georgia, Madagascar, Malawi, the State of Palestine, and Sierra Leone.
Researchers measured child outcomes with the Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI), an established tool that tracks foundational milestones across four domains: literacy and numeracy, social-emotional development, approaches to learning, and physical development. By matching each child’s location and date of assessment with monthly temperature records, the team estimated cumulative exposure to ambient heat from birth through interview.
After adjusting for regional climate baselines, seasonality, and household and individual covariates, the study found that children exposed to mean monthly maximum temperatures above 30 °C were about 5–6.7% less likely to meet basic literacy and numeracy milestones compared with peers in the same region and season who experienced cooler conditions (below roughly 26.5 °C). The effect remained concentrated in the literacy and numeracy domain, while other developmental domains showed smaller or no consistent associations.
Notably, subgroup analyses revealed stronger negative associations among children in lower-income households, households with poorer access to clean water, and those residing in urban areas—groups with fewer resources to mitigate heat exposure or its downstream effects. These patterns point to social and environmental vulnerabilities that amplify the developmental risks of rising temperatures.
“While previous research has tied heat to adverse physical and mental health outcomes across the life course, our findings reveal that excessive heat can also impede early learning in diverse international settings,” says lead author Jorge Cuartas, assistant professor of applied psychology at NYU Steinhardt. He emphasizes the need for targeted research and policies to identify protective factors and interventions that reduce children’s vulnerability as global temperatures increase.
The study team included co-authors from the Inter-American Development Bank and the University of Chicago. Their analysis used linear probability models with geographic and seasonality fixed effects and incorporated multiple covariates to reduce confounding and selection bias.
Key Questions Answered:
A: The study found that higher-than-usual ambient temperatures are associated with lower rates of meeting early literacy and numeracy milestones, suggesting heat-related impacts on early learning.
A: Negative effects were strongest among children from economically disadvantaged households, those living in urban areas, and those lacking reliable access to clean water and sanitation.
A: Understanding how ambient heat undermines early learning can inform climate adaptation, education planning, and public health strategies aimed at protecting children’s development and long-term outcomes.
Editorial Notes:
- This article was edited by a Neuroscience News editor.
- The journal paper was reviewed in full by editorial staff.
- Additional context and clarity were added by the editorial team.
About this neurodevelopment research news
Author: Jade McClain, NYU
Source: NYU
Contact: Jade McClain – NYU
Image: Image credited to Neuroscience News
Original Research: Open access. “Ambient Heat and Early Childhood Development: A Cross-National Analysis” by Jorge Cuartas et al., Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry.
Abstract
Ambient Heat and Early Childhood Development: A Cross-National Analysis
Background
There is growing evidence that climate change—through rising temperatures, heat waves, and cascading impacts on communities and services—affects physical and mental health. Less understood is how early-life exposure to excessive heat may influence foundational cognitive and learning skills. This study investigates the relationship between ambient heat and early childhood development across multiple countries, using time- and location-linked developmental and climate data.
Methods
The primary outcome was the Early Childhood Development Index (ECDI). Researchers applied linear probability models with geographic and seasonality fixed effects to control for baseline climatic conditions. The sample included 19,607 three- and four-year-old children from Georgia, The Gambia, Madagascar, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and the State of Palestine, drawn from Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys conducted between 2017 and 2020. These survey data were merged with monthly maximum temperature records to calculate the mean exposure each child experienced from birth through interview.
Results
Children exposed to average maximum temperatures above 32 °C were less likely to be developmentally on track for literacy and numeracy than peers exposed to cooler temperatures, even after accounting for baseline climate and covariates. Domain-specific analyses showed the most consistent temperature-related declines in literacy and numeracy. Subgroup analyses indicated the greatest vulnerability among children in low-income households, those with limited water and sanitation access, and those living in urban settings.
Conclusions
The findings suggest that excessive ambient heat can undermine early childhood learning, particularly basic literacy and numeracy skills. Policymakers, educators, and public health planners should consider heat exposure when designing adaptation and resilience strategies to protect early development as the climate warms.