How to protect children from the health effects of climate change

If you follow the news, you know that climate change is a big problem that affects our weather and contributes to dangers like stronger storms and rising sea levels. It makes pollution worse, superheats our summers, and gives rise to a range of diseases spread by bugs. Climate change affects the health of all living things—especially children.

Millions of people around the world are already sick with illnesses related to or made worse by climate change. What’s more, an estimated 93 percent of the burden of disease from climate change falls on children under 15 years of age, according to the World Health Organization.

Here’s why kids are especially vulnerable to climate-related health risks—and actions you can take to help keep them safe.

Health issues are worsened by climate change

“Children—and women—around the world are most impacted by climate-health threats,” says Nsedu Obot Witherspoon, MPH, executive director of the Children’s Environmental Health Network (CEHN), a nonprofit group dedicated to ensuring that all children have access to healthy environments. “There’s no part of the world, including the United States, that’s safe from these threats.”

Climate change contributes to environmental hazards like extreme temperatures and natural disasters—and can make existing problems like air pollution worse.

For instance, already-polluted air is becoming harder to breathe as gas particles (called ozone) and pollution mix under extreme heat to form dangerous substances called volatile organic compounds (VOCs). VOCs are linked to many health risks, including asthma and pneumonia, even premature death.

Extreme temperatures can also increase health risks for people with heart disease and kidney disease. That’s because coping with extreme temperatures can tax the heart and make it harder for the kidneys to remove toxins from the body.

Meanwhile, as pest swarms grow bigger with longer and hotter growing seasons, farms are using more pesticides. These potentially cancer-causing chemicals can contaminate local air, soil, and water. Warmer winters and longer summers allow other disease-carrying bugs to flourish, such as ticks that spread Lyme disease.

That’s just the beginning. No matter where you live, climate change is affecting the food you eat, the water you drink, and the air you breathe.

Why kids are at increased risk

Babies and children are more vulnerable than adults to the health effects of these changes because of their size and physiology (the specific nature of their bodies). For example:

• Children drink proportionately more fluids and breathe more air than adults, potentially increasing their risk of absorbing more harmful substances.
• Behaviors like crawling, putting things in their mouths, and playing outside increase children’s exposure to toxins.
• Kids’ lungs, hearts, brains, and organ systems are still fragile and developing—and susceptible to damage from toxins.
• Their smaller size, limited mobility, and dependence on caregivers make kids vulnerable during climate disasters and extreme weather events.

Despite parents’ and caregivers’ efforts to keep their little ones safe, biased and flawed systems like education, health care, and housing can play a major part in shaping the health and safety of children.

“Historical policies like redlining and segregation, which restricted where people of color could buy houses or live, still impact the environments children live in today,” Witherspoon explains. “Redlining encouraged factories and highways that polluted the air, water, and soil to be placed in these neighborhoods instead of in white communities.”

“Kids who live, play, and go to school in these areas are more likely to have asthma, developmental disabilities, or even cancer,” Witherspoon notes. “Communities of color are feeling the brunt of climate change, situated in zip codes with the highest heat indexes, the heaviest flooding, and the most severe droughts.”

When societal systems like housing treat people differently according to their age, race, gender, neighborhood, socioeconomic status, or other factors, it’s known as environmental injustice or environmental racism.

How to keep kids safe from the effects of climate change

Climate change is an enormous issue that can make parents and caregivers feel powerless. It can feel impossible to have an influence on issues such as whether to rely on fossil fuels (those made from oil) or renewable sources like solar or wind power. But there are things you can do to look out for the safety of your loved ones—and to influence policies around climate change.

“Anything we can do—as individuals or as a community and society—to reduce the impacts of climate change will benefit everyone, especially children,” says Witherspoon. Even small steps can add up to create a safer, healthier future for our children.

Here are actions you can take to help protect kids from some of the most common climate-health threats:

Understand air quality to help kids breathe easier

Warming temperatures create more smog and longer and more intense pollen seasons—both of which can worsen asthma and allergy symptoms. (Smog is a mixture of fog, smoke, and chemical fumes.) Stronger and more frequent wildfires expose kids to high levels of tiny particles that can lodge deep in their lungs and can cause or worsen breathing problems. Even if wildfires take place far away, winds can carry these particles close to home.

Witherspoon notes that extreme weather such as hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding can increase mold and mildew in homes, daycare centers, and schools. These exposures can worsen breathing problems for children. You may not be able to control weather events, but you can take steps to improve the air indoors and avoid the worst of it outdoors.

Check air quality before going outdoors

Check your local air quality from your smartphone or computer at AirNow.gov or the AirNow app by entering your zip code, city, or state. It will give you the Air Quality Index (AQI), a number that rates how healthy the outdoor air is and a color that grades the air from good to hazardous:

• A rating of green or “good” and an AQI of 0 to 50 means it’s safe to spend time outdoors.
• Orange (an AQI of 101 to 150) is considered unhealthy for sensitive groups, so keep kids inside when possible, especially if they have asthma or other lung health issues.
• Everyone should try to avoid spending time outside if the dial is red, purple, or maroon (an AQI of 151 or higher, which indicates unhealthy or hazardous air).

Your local newscast will often include an air quality rating using the same scale. If you don’t have a computer or smartphone, tune in to your local TV weather.

Protect your lungs when outside

If you or your kids must go outside on a bad air day, you can help protect lung health by wearing a close-fitting mask. (Look for masks labeled N95 or KN95.) If you are in a car, keep the windows closed and set the heating or air conditioning to recirculate.

Improve indoor air quality

On days when it’s best to stay indoors, keep windows closed and avoid using products that give off smoke, like candles or cigarettes. You can also use portable air cleaners or add high-efficiency filters to your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system, if you have one.

If you don’t have a portable air purifier or can’t purchase one, you can make an air purifier at home for about $60 using items like a box fan and high-quality filters. Follow tips for building your own air purifier from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) or learn about choosing a portable air cleaner from the CEHN.

Follow your asthma action plan

A written asthma action plan can help teachers and school nurses provide quick, effective care to school-aged children with asthma. An action plan includes medicines your child might need to manage their asthma, signs and symptoms to look out for, and instructions to follow in case of an emergency. You can make an asthma action plan with your child’s healthcare provider (HCP) using a template from the Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America.

Reduce and manage exposure to extreme temperatures

The year 2023 was the hottest on record, a trend that experts warn is likely to continue. Extreme heat is especially hard on babies, children, and pregnant people, and is associated with a cluster of conditions called heat-related illnesses, or HRIs.

Pregnant people and developing babies are notably sensitive to heat. For example, extreme heat is linked to pregnancy and birth complications like low birth weight and preterm birth.

Young athletes and children who play outside in the heat are at high risk for HRIs, which can quickly become life-threatening. You can track when temperatures are reaching dangerous levels by visiting Heat.gov or the National Weather Service.

When temperatures are high, help protect kids with these steps:

Stay hydrated

Children need proportionally more water than adults to support their developing bodies and brains. Encourage hydration by using water bottles. Choose refillable, non-plastic water bottles if possible—like those made from metal—since plastic bottles often contain chemicals that are harmful to kids’ health and the environment.

Activities that involve water, such as swimming or playing with hoses, can also be fun ways to enjoy a summer day while staying cool.

Watch for and treat the signs of heat illness

Heat-related illnesses include sunburn, dehydration, and heat exhaustion. Heat exhaustion happens when a person’s body heat gets dangerously high and they can’t cool off.

Cold and clammy skin, dizziness, headache, fatigue, weakness, muscle cramps, nausea, and high body temperatures are signs of heat exhaustion and dehydration. If your child shows any of these symptoms, given them fluids and have them rest in the shade or an air-conditioned space, if available. You can also sponge-bathe them in cool water. (Just don’t use cold water or ice.)

Get help when necessary

If left untreated, heat exhaustion can turn into heatstroke, a medical emergency that requires professional assistance. Symptoms of heatstroke include:

• Weakness
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Rapid pulse
• Shallow breathing
• Body temperature over 104 F
• Hot, dry skin (no longer sweating).

If your child is showing any of these symptoms, get them to a cool, shady place and call 911.

Don’t forget sun protection

The sun can also cause damage to skin, regardless of a person’s age or skin tone. Try to stay out of the sun during the middle of the day when it shines with the greatest intensity. Wear sunscreen when going outside, as well as hats and light, cotton clothing.

Opt for physical sunscreen when possible, also referred to as “mineral” sunscreen. These products contain ingredients such as titanium dioxide or zinc oxide that protect you by sitting on top of your skin and deflecting the sun’s rays. Chemical sunscreens, on the other hand, absorb into your skin. Look for sunscreen with an SPF (sun protection factor) of at least 30.

Consider community cooling stations

Not everyone has air conditioning (AC). If parents and caregivers, teachers, or summer camp directors don’t have access to AC, they can often locate nearby places where children can cool off during extreme heat events. These might include a shaded park, community pool, or public library. Many communities also set up “cooling centers” during heat events where people can go to cool off for free. Check your town’s website or social media feeds to learn more or sign up for email alerts.

There may also be cases, such as on the hottest and most humid days, where the best move is to simply cancel a game, picnic, or other outdoor activity. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Avoid bug bites

Changing weather patterns often mean bigger pest problems. Insects play a major role in spreading new and existing infectious diseases. Mosquitoes are known to carry illnesses like dengue fever, West Nile virus, and Zika. Ticks can carry Lyme disease.

These diseases are often known as “vector-borne” because they are carried and spread by vectors (aka, bugs). You can help reduce the risk of these diseases by following these steps:

Reduce bug habitats

Remove or fill in any areas where water tends to pool in and around your home, childcare center, school, or recreation center. Mosquitoes love standing water, so draining it can help keep them away. Clear dead leaves and wood mulch to eliminate places for ticks and other bugs to live and hide.

Dress for protection

Encourage children to wear protective clothing like long sleeves, pants, and boots when playing outdoors, especially in wooded areas. Skip bright colors and flowery prints, as these may attract insects.

Use insect repellent

Use insect repellents from the Safer Choice List, a list of products considered by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to be safer for kids, and follow these tips:

• Try to avoid using aerosols (the kind that create a fine spray that you can inhale).
• Have adults help kids apply insect repellent.
• Avoid putting repellent on kids’ eyes, mouth, or hands.
• Encourage kids to wash their hands when they come inside. This can keep them from getting pesticides in their lungs or mouths.

Learn more about bug repellent from the CEHN.

Do a body check

Once you’re back inside, check your kids carefully for ticks. This is sometimes easiest if you have them take a shower or bath. Plus, bathing helps wash off any insect repellent residue.

When checking for ticks, be sure to check a child’s entire body, including in their hair and along their hairline, in their armpits and behind their knees, and in their belly button.

Taking action at home, in your community, and beyond

Following these tips can help you and your children stay physically safe amid rising temperatures, volatile weather, and the spread of disease-carrying bugs. But climate change and its related stresses can also affect your mental health.

In the next article in this series, we’ll provide information on how to safeguard your mental health amid climate change—a growing crisis with physical, psychological, and emotional dimensions. Plus, learn about what you can do to take action against climate change in your community, town, and beyond.

This article has been written in collaboration with the Children's Environmental Health Network (CEHN), a national nonprofit with the mission of protecting all children from environmental health hazards and promoting a healthy environment.

Read more from this series, including ways to manage asthma in children, avoid potentially dangerous chemicals in household products, and understand the connection between asthma and stress.