The Impact of Climate Change on Pediatric Mental and Behavioral Health
AI Summary
Climate change harms pediatric mental and behavioural health via heat, air pollution, increased violence, and extreme weather causing de novo and exacerbated mental health conditions.
Minoritised populations face greater mental health impacts from climate change due to historic structural disparities and unequal exposure to environmental hazards.
Clinicians must implement routine screening, learn community resources, and participate in advocacy to prepare, respond, and mitigate pediatric climate-related mental health harms.
Pediatr Clin North Am. 2026 Jun;73(3):541-554. doi: 10.1016/j.pcl.2026.01.004. Epub 2026 Mar 25.
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.
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