Author(s):
Clár Ní Chonghaile
Diana Baptista
School's out for summer: What does extreme heat do to children?
Source(s):
Context
[...]
When a child is too hot for too long, a chain reaction across the body and brain affects everything from immediate concentration to long-term cardiovascular and mental health.
It is a critical risk in a warming world where last year an estimated 171 million students had their schooling disrupted by more intense, longer and more common heatwaves.
[...]
The effect of extreme heat on children's ability to learn has been well documented. But it's not just book-learning that suffers.
"A lot of learning in early childhood happens through play - negotiation with peers outside, solving arguments on their own, working through challenges, climbing high risky things," said Burghardt.
When it is too hot, this process is compromised.
[...]
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Heatwave and Extreme Heat