Floods and Child Vulnerability: Impacts on Growth, Nutrition, and Health Among Children of Less‐Educated Mothers

ABSTRACT This study investigates the short‐run impacts of recent flood exposure on child growth, nutrition, and health outcomes, focusing specifically on children born to mothers with low levels of education. Our findings reveal that children exposed to recent floods tend to experience significant reductions in weight, decreased nutritional intake, heightened risks of illnesses such as diarrhea and fever, and reduced access to healthcare services. Among children born to less‐educated mothers, those from ethnic minority and poorer households are disproportionately affected, highlighting compounding vulnerabilities within already disadvantaged populations. The results are robust to various sensitivity checks and placebo tests. These findings emphasize the critical need to account for demographic disparities when assessing the short‐term impacts of extreme weather events and to implement targeted policies and interventions to mitigate the detrimental effects of floods on child well‐being.