Rising Heat and Its Impact on Early Childhood Brain Development
As global temperatures continue to rise, scientists are finding that extreme heat does more than cause discomfort. It can also affect how young children’s brains develop. A recent international study shows that children who are regularly exposed to temperatures above 32°C, about 90°F, during early childhood tend to score lower in key developmental areas. These include literacy, numeracy, and overall readiness for school, all of which rely on healthy brain growth and cognitive function.
The study examined 19,607 children between the ages of three and four from six countries: Georgia, The Gambia, Madagascar, Malawi, Sierra Leone, and the State of Palestine. Researchers combined early childhood development surveys with satellite temperature data to track heat exposure from birth.
They found that children who grew up in hotter conditions were less likely to be developmentally on track. Scientists believe prolonged heat exposure can interfere with brain processes such as memory formation, attention control, and learning speed, which are critical during early childhood when neural connections are forming rapidly.
The effects of heat were strongest in literacy and numeracy, skills that depend heavily on cognitive abilities primarily in the frontal lobe, like language processing and problem solving. Children from low income households, urban areas, and communities with limited access to clean water, temperature regulation accessibility (like air conditioning), and sanitation were especially affected. These environmental stressors can increase fatigue and stress in the brain, making it harder for young children to focus, regulate emotions, and retain information.
At Miami Lakes Educational Center, students have differing perspectives on the issue. Daniel Cabo, a senior at Miami Lakes Educational Center, believes the findings show a serious risk to early brain development.
“Heat affecting kids while their brains are still developing is alarming,” Daniel said. “If children struggle to focus or process information because of constant heat, it can impact their cognitive growth and future academic success.”
In contrast, Robert Cuesta, a freshman at Miami Lakes Educational Center, questions how much heat truly influences cognition.
“I think brain development depends more on education and parenting than temperature,” Robert said. “People have lived in hot places for generations and still learned just fine, so I do not think heat is the main factor.”
This research is especially relevant in Miami, Florida, where prolonged periods of extreme heat and high humidity are a defining feature of daily life. South Florida regularly experiences heat indexes exceeding 100°F, particularly during the late spring and summer months, and climate projections show that these conditions are becoming longer and more intense each year.
Many families in Miami-Dade County live in older housing or low-income neighborhoods with limited access to reliable air conditioning, tree cover, or safe, shaded outdoor spaces. Urban heat island effects in densely built areas such as Little Haiti, Liberty City, and Overtown further amplify neighborhood temperatures, exposing children to higher baseline heat levels than those recorded at official weather stations.
The study highlights that climate change is not only an environmental concern but also a brain health and education issue. Understanding how heat affects early cognition can help communities and policymakers develop strategies to protect children’s developing brains and support long term learning outcomes in a warming world.
