Menu Close

InBrief | A Cascade of Impacts: The Many Ways Water Affects Child Development

Published: September 13, 2024

Cover: InBrief_A Cascade of Impacts.

Given the body’s near-constant need for water, its availability and quality are critical for child development and lifelong health. However, freshwater supplies are increasingly endangered due to extended droughts, large-scale farming of water-intensive crops in arid climates, overuse of local water sources, and toxic contamination.

View References

  1. Popkin BM, D’Anci KE, Rosenberg IH. Water, hydration, and health. Nutr Rev. 2010;68(8):439-458. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2010.00304.x
  2. Institute of Medicine. Water. In: Dietary Reference Intakes for Water, Potassium, Sodium, Chloride, and Sulfate. National Academies Press; 2005:73-185.
  3. Li Y, Yuan Z, Yang H, Zhong H, Peng W, Xie R. Recent advances in understanding the role of cartilage lubrication in osteoarthritis. Molecules. 2021;26(20). doi:10.3390/molecules26206122
  4. Kimelberg HK. Water homeostasis in the brain: basic concepts. Neuroscience. 2004;129(4):851-860. doi:10.1016/j.neuroscience.2004.07.033
  5. Bantol KEA, Brumberg HL, Shah SI, Javier JR. Perspectives from the Society for Pediatric Research: contaminants of water and children’s health: can we do better? Pediatr Res. 2020;88(4):535-543. doi:10.1038/s41390-020-0985-4
  6. Richey AS, Thomas BF, Lo MH, et al. Quantifying renewable groundwater stress with GRACE. Water Resour Res. 2015;51(7):5217-5238. doi:10.1002/2015WR017349
  7. Mendez E. A climate expert explains why atmospheric rivers are causing historic rainfall in California. Columbia Climate School. Accessed February 5, 2024. https://news.climate.columbia.edu/2024/02/05/a-climate-expert-explains-why-atmospheric-rivers-are-causing-historic-rainfall-in-california/
  8. US Environmental Protection Agency. Basic information about nonpoint source (NPS) pollution. US Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed March 8, 2024. https://www.epa.gov/nps/basic-informationabout-nonpoint-source-nps-pollution
  9. Meehan K, Jepson W, Harris LM, et al. Exposing the myths of household water insecurity in the global north: a critical review. WIREs Water. 2020;7(6):e1486. doi:10.1002/wat2.1486
  10. Brown J, Acey CS, Anthonj C, et al. The effects of racism, social exclusion, and discrimination on achieving universal safe water and sanitation in high-income countries. Lancet Glob Health. 2023;11(4):e606-e614. doi:10.1016/S2214-109X(23)00006-2
  11. Ahdoot S, Baum CR, Cataletto MB, et al. Climate change and children’s health: building a healthy future for every child. Pediatrics. 2024;153(3). doi:10.1542/peds.2023-065504
  12. McAdam J, Bell EM. Determinants of maternal and neonatal PFAS concentrations: a review. Environ Health. 2023;22(1):41. doi:10.1186/s12940-023-00992-x
  13. Hoadley L, Watters M, Rogers R, et al. Public health evaluation of PFAS exposures and breastfeeding: a systematic literature review. Toxicol Sci. 2023;194(2):121-137. doi:10.1093/toxsci/kfad053
  14. Stephenson J, Heslehurst N, Hall J, et al. Before the beginning: nutrition and lifestyle in the preconception period and its importance for future health. Lancet. 2018;391(10132):1830-1841. doi:10.1016/S01406736(18)30311-8
  15. Taneja S, Chowdhury R, Dhabhai N, et al. Impact of a package of health, nutrition, psychosocial support, and WaSH interventions delivered during preconception, pregnancy, and early childhood periods on birth outcomes and on linear growth at 24 months of age: factorial, individually randomised controlled trial. BMJ. 2022;379:e072046. doi:10.1136/bmj-2022-072046
  16. Zhang Y, Mustieles V, Williams PL, et al. Association of preconception mixtures of phenol and phthalate metabolites with birthweight among subfertile couples. Environ Epidemiol. 2022;6(5):e222. doi:10.1097/EE9.0000000000000222
  17. Lismer A, Shao X, Dumargne MC, et al. The association between long-term DDT or DDE exposures and an altered sperm epigenome: a cross-sectional study of Greenlandic Inuit and South African VhaVenda men. Environ Health Perspect. 2024;132(1):17008. doi:10.1289/EHP12013
  18. Pross N. Effects of dehydration on brain functioning: a life-span perspective. Ann Nutr Metab. 2017;70(suppl 1):30-36. doi:10.1159/000463060
  19. Miller JD, Workman CL, Panchang SV, et al. Water security and nutrition: current knowledge and research opportunities. Adv Nutr. 2021;12(6):2525-2539. doi:10.1093/advances/nmab075
  20. Raker EJ, Lowe SR, Arcaya MC, Johnson ST, Rhodes J, Waters MC. Twelve years later: the long-term mental health consequences of Hurricane Katrina. Soc Sci Med. 2019;242:112610. doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2019.112610
  21. Richler J. Flood-induced displacement. Nat Clim Change. 2017;7(8):547. doi:10.1038/nclimate3364
  22. US Environmental Protection Agency. Climate Change and Children’s Health and Well-Being in the United States. EPA 430-R-23-001. US Environmental Protection Agency; 2023.
  23. Suter MA, Aagaard KM. Natural disasters resulting from climate change: the impact of hurricanes and f looding on perinatal outcomes. Semin Perinatol. 2023;47(8):151840. doi:10.1016/j.semperi.2023.151840
  24. Conley MI, Skalaban LJ, Rapuano KM, et al. Altered hippocampal microstructure and function in children who experienced Hurricane Irma. Dev Psychobiol. 2021;63(5):864-877. doi:10.1002/dev.22071
  25. von Holst H, Nayak P, Dembek Z, et al. Perfluoroalkyl substances exposure and immunity, allergic response, infection, and asthma in children: review of epidemiologic studies. Heliyon. 2021;7(10):e08160. doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2021.e08160
  26. Cooley H, Ajami N, Ha M-L, et al. Global water governance in the twenty-first century. In: Gleick PH, ed. The World’s Water: The Biennial Report on Freshwater Resources. Island Press/Center for Resource Economics; 2014:1-18.
  27. Wan C, Dang P, Gao L, et al. How does the environment affect wheat yield and protein content response to drought? A meta-analysis. Front Plant Sci. 2022;13:896985. doi:10.3389/fpls.2022.896985
  28. Gaber N. Mobilizing health metrics for the human right to water in Flint and Detroit, Michigan. Health Hum Rights. 2019;21(1):179-189.
  29. Aiken CS. Race as a factor in municipal underbounding. Ann Assoc Am Geogr. 1987;77(4):564-579. doi:10.1111/j.1467-8306.1987.tb00181.x
  30. Liddie JM, Schaider LA, Sunderland EM. Sociodemographic factors are associated with the abundance of PFAS sources and detection in U.S. community water systems. Environ Sci Technol. 2023;57(21):7902-7912. doi:10.1021/acs.est.2c07255
  31. US Department of Health & Human Services. Low Income Household Water Assistance Program (LIHWAP). US Department of Health & Human Services, Office of Community Services. Accessed January 14, 2024. https://www.acf.hhs.gov/ocs/programs/lihwap
  32. Bellinger DC. Lead neurotoxicity and socioeconomic status: conceptual and analytical issues. Neurotoxicology. 2008;29(5):828-832. doi:10.1016/j.neuro.2008.04.005
  33. Bellinger DC, Matthews-Bellinger JA, Kordas K. A developmental perspective on early-life exposure to neurotoxicants. Environ Int. 2016;94:103-112. doi:10.1016/j.envint.2016.05.014
  34. Wendee N. FACT Finding: folic acid supplementation may lower risk from arsenic in drinking water. Environ Health Perspect. 2023;131(7):074001. doi:10.1289/EHP13153
  35. Kile ML, Ronnenberg AG. Can folate intake reduce arsenic toxicity? Nutr Rev. 2008;66(6):349-353. doi:10.1111/j.1753-4887.2008.00043.x
  36. Zhang Y, Mustieles V, Wang Y-X, et al. Folate concentrations and serum perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substance concentrations in adolescents and adults in the USA (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003–2016): an observational study. Lancet Planet Health. 2023;7(6):e449-e458. doi:10.1016/S25425196(23)00088-8
  37. US Environmental Protection Agency. Contact information for certification programs and certified laboratories for drinking water. US Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed January 14, 2024. https://www.epa.gov/dwlabcert/contact-information-certification-programs-and-certified-laboratories-drinking-water
  38. US Environmental Protection Agency. Drinking water grants. US Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed January 14, 2024. https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/drinking-water-grants
  39. US Environmental Protection Agency. Green and Gray Infrastructure Research. US Environmental Protection Agency. Accessed May 18, 2024. https://www.epa.gov/water-research/green-and-gray-infrastructure-research
  40. Hendricks MD, Dowtin AL. Come hybrid or high water: making the case for a green–gray approach toward resilient urban stormwater management. J Am Water Resour Assoc. 2023;59(5):885-893. doi:10.1111/17521688.13112
  41. Krings A, Kornberg D, Lane E. Organizing under austerity: how residents’ concerns became the Flint water crisis. Crit Sociol. 2019;45(4-5):583-597. doi:10.1177/0896920518757053

Download Resource

Related Resource Guides