Peer-reviewed article
The Impact of Climate Change on Pediatric Mental and Behavioral Health.
Milazzo S, Clarke C, Moon C, Sheffield P ·
Summary
Written by AI, not yet AICS's view · claude-haiku-4-5-20251001This review article examines how climate change affects children's mental and behavioral health through multiple pathways including heat stress, air pollution, extreme weather events, and emotional responses like eco-anxiety. The article notes that children from minoritized populations experience greater mental health impacts due to existing structural inequalities. Clinicians are advised to implement routine mental health screenings, understand community resources, and engage in advocacy to address these climate-related mental health challenges.
Key points
- Climate change affects children's mental and behavioral health through heat, air pollution, extreme weather disruptions, and emotional responses
- Minoritized populations experience increased mental health effects from climate change due to historic structural disparities
- Extreme weather events can cause de novo mental health conditions in children
- Children experience specific emotional responses to climate change, including ecoanxiety and solastalgia
- Clinical adaptations recommended include routine screenings, knowledge of community resources, and clinician advocacy
Limitations
This is a review article providing an overview rather than original research data, so it cannot quantify the prevalence or severity of climate-related mental health impacts in specific populations. It does not evaluate the effectiveness of any particular intervention or clinical adaptation.
Abstract
Climate change affects the mental and behavioral health of children, requiring preparation and response from clinicians. This article provides an overview of the varying impacts of climate on pediatric mental and behavioral health including heat and air pollution influences on development and violence, extreme weather event disruptions and de novo mental health conditions, and emotional responses to climate change: ecoanxiety and solastalgia. We emphasize how minoritized populations often experience increased effects of climate change, including mental health effects, due to historic structural disparities. Clinical adaptations include implementation of routine screenings, clinical familiarity with existing community resources, and participation in advocacy.