"There are adverse long term health outcomes associated to exposure to extreme heat such as impaired cognition, reduced growth, cardiovascular disease and diabetes, all of which have huge costs to health care". Dr. Lindsey Burghardt, Chief Science Officer Centre of the developing Child, Harvard University.
In this recent masterclass presented by the Van Leer Foundation, the Urban95 Academy at the LSE and the Center of the Developing Child at Harvard University, Katie Beck, Policy Fellow at LSE Cities speaks with Dr Lindsey Burghardt who outlines the physiological, social and emotional impacts that extreme heat has on children's developing bodies and minds.
Drawing on her research, Dr Burghardt describes how the human body responds to excessive heat and outlines the effects of exposure to high temperatures during pregnancy and early childhood.
The session, which was delivered to Urban95 Academy alumni, delves into direct and indirect impacts of heat on children and caregivers and looks at strategies to mitigate negative outcomes and implications for new directions in urban policy.
We are pleased to make the recording of the masterclass free and available to a wider audience.
You can read a working paper on how extreme heat affects early childhood development here.