El cambio climatico y sus efectos sobre la salud infantil. Revisión narrativa
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31698/ped.52022025010Palabras clave:
Cambio climático, efecto invernadero, salud, niños, lactantes, adolescentes, enfermedadesResumen
El cambio climático representa una de las mayores amenazas para la salud infantil en el siglo XXI. Con el incremento de la temperatura a nivel mundial se intensifican fenómenos meteorológicos extremos como olas de calor, sequías, inundaciones y huracanes, que afectan con mayor intensidad a los niños debido a su vulnerabilidad .fisiológica y social. El menor desarrollo de sus sistemas inmunológicos, mayor tasa de respiración y una menor capacidad para regular la temperatura corporal, los hace más susceptibles a enfermedades relacionadas con el calor y las infecciones respiratorias. El cambio climático, la desertificación de vastas regiones por efecto de la deforestación, favorece la expansión de vectores como los mosquitos incrementando la incidencia de enfermedades como el dengue, la malaria y la chikungunya. Las alteraciones en los patrones de lluvia y temperatura también afectan la seguridad alimentaria, reduciendo la disponibilidad de alimentos nutritivos y aumentando el riesgo de desnutrición infantil, especialmente en países en vías de desarrollo. La contaminación del aire, exacerbada por el uso de combustibles fósiles, agrava enfermedades respiratorias como el asma, que ya afecta a millones de niños en todo el mundo. Las consecuencias psicológicas tampoco deben subestimarse: los desastres naturales y el desplazamiento forzado generan estrés, ansiedad y traumas en la infancia, con efectos duraderos en su desarrollo emocional. El cambio climático no solo amenaza el entorno físico, sino también el bienestar integral de las futuras generaciones. Proteger la salud infantil requiere una acción climática urgente, equitativa y centrada en los derechos de la niñez.
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