By IDSE News Staff
Rising temperatures appear to be increasing the risk for hospitalizations for children dealing with infections and other issues, according to a study examining hospital admissions data from New South Wales, Australia (Pediatrics 2025;155[1]:e2024068183 https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2024-068183).
The researchers reviewed data about children 18 years of age and younger who were unexpectedly admitted to the hospital or emergency department (ED) from January 2000 to June 2020. Referring to the Universal Thermal Climate Index, a measurement that includes heat stress factors beyond temperature, the researchers found that higher levels of heat stress were related to higher risks for ED visits for infectious diseases, including infectious enteritis, otitis media, skin and soft tissue infections, and heat-related illness.
Hospital admissions were also increased for problems including infectious diseases, according to the data. This is due to warmer weather and higher humidity increasing the survival of bacteria and increasing the risk of food poisoning and ear infections after swimming, the researchers said. Methods to combat the local heat stress effects of climate change, such as increased green and blue infrastructure, could be employed to help reduce heat stress, they said.
They also found the Universal Thermal Climate Index can better demonstrate the effects of heat-related health impacts compared with ambient temperature alone.
