Impact of climate change on pediatric health outcomes.

In 30 seconds

This systematic review assessed evidence linking climate exposures with health outcomes in children. It included 23 peer-reviewed studies published in 2000–2025, spanning different regions and study designs, and evaluated acute and chronic outcomes. The narrative synthesis found consistent associations between air pollutants—particularly PM2.5, NO2 and O3—and respiratory morbidity, asthma prevalence and hospitalization. Higher temperatures and heat waves were associated with heat illness, dehydration and febrile states, while extreme weather, especially floods, was linked to diarrheal and vector-related infections. Most studies had low to moderate risk of bias.

Key findings

• PM2.5, NO2 and O3 were consistently linked with pediatric respiratory morbidity, asthma prevalence and hospitalization.
• Higher temperatures and heat waves were associated with heat illness, dehydration and febrile states in infants and young children.
• Extreme weather events, particularly floods, were linked with diarrheal and vector-related infections, especially in low-resource settings.
• The review included 23 studies; evidence from low-income countries was limited.

Why it matters

The synthesis indicates that several climate-related exposures are associated with important pediatric health outcomes across varied settings. Recognising these patterns can inform assessment of environmental risks to children and support consideration of climate-related threats in child health planning. The limited evidence from low-income countries and the frequent study of exposures in isolation also identify gaps in the evidence base.

What to keep in mind

The review found substantial regional and methodological differences, limited evidence from low-income countries, and that most studies assessed exposures individually, potentially underestimating cumulative or compound risks.