Climate Change Is Changing Children in a Negative Way-UNICEF

Recent data by UNICEF indicates that climate change is causing a lot of child-related problems in recent years.  It is very unfair that the leaders of tomorrow are those facing the consequences of our actions.

Several scientists have warned that the world is cooking itself up slowly due to rapid climate change.  The world has experienced lots of natural disasters including rainstorms, wildfires, and floods due mostly to climate change.

Farmers who depend solely on the rain to farm have also suffered significant losses due to significant changes in the rainfall pattern.  The rains are now unpredictable. There are extreme temperatures and sand storms. Weather reports are becoming increasingly unreliable due to unpredictable and unstable weather patterns.

The long-term effects are very scary. The future looks blurry.

Climate change is associated with a lot of health problems for both children and adults. However, children are those who pay the highest cost.  Unborn children are also affected. Recent  Data from UNICEF and other top Medical research agencies suggest the following effects of climate change on children.

Climate Change Causes Pre-Mature Birth/Stillbirth

Pregnant women are particularly prone to high temperatures. Extreme temperatures can increase the risk of premature labor.  This means that babies do not mature to full term before delivery. Depending on the stage of the pregnancy, this can lead to miscarriages or giving birth to underdeveloped babies.  Pre-term babies are particularly prone to lots of diseases. They also suffer from poor cognitive development. They have low birth weight which affects their overall health as they grow.

Climate Change Increases Child Mortality

Air pollution increases the risk of respiratory diseases in both adults and children. Children have less developed respiratory systems so the risks are higher.  Pre-term babies do not have adequate amounts of surfactants which are substances produced in your lungs that prevent your lungs from collapsing. This means that pre-term babies can die from the slightest irritation.  Children and adolescents are also at increased risk of mortality from climate change

 Increased  risk of Communicable Diseases

Communicable diseases such as cholera become rampant during floods.  A lot of dirty substances are carried by the water to various places.  Dirty waters from toilets and gutters are carried to residential areas. Children love to play in the soil and get themselves messy. They easily pick up pathogens from the contaminated soil.

Climate Change Increases Anxiety And Post Traumatic Stress

Children born in extreme weather are prone to anxiety and post-traumatic stress. This means that they do not easily recover from traumatic events. The impacts lasts longer. Their brain development is curtailed.

Increased  risk of vector-borne Diseases

Vectors such as mosquitoes are tsetse flies increase in number during floods. Most find suitable breeding grounds to multiply. They spread diseases like malaria and trypanosomiasis.

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