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La Nina y los ninos: Effects of an Unexpected Winter on Early Life Human Capital and Family Responses

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  • Juan Felipe Brando
  • Rafael J. Santos

Abstract

We use rainfall shocks caused by La Nina in Colombia between 2010 and 2011 as a source of variation in the inputs of human capital formation. We have outcomes in 2013 for kids 0 to 5 years old and their household characteristics just before La Nina. We measure exposure using the number of days of heavy rains at different ages according to the day of birth of the kid, the exact location of his household and the closest weather station. Exposure in utero reduces birth-weight (0.19SD), weight gain per month (0.07SD), actual weight (0.15SD) and height (0.12SD). Exposure during the second year of life increases the risk of socioemotional problems (0.19SD) and decreases results in cognitive tests (0.10SD). Consistent with reinforcement, children who receive a shock during a critical period also receive less investment by their families. Households were not able to shield their consumption and they cut their expenditures in health and education (0.06SD). However the majority of households do not acknowledge being directly affected by the winter.

Suggested Citation

  • Juan Felipe Brando & Rafael J. Santos, 2015. "La Nina y los ninos: Effects of an Unexpected Winter on Early Life Human Capital and Family Responses," Documentos CEDE 13316, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    • Handle: RePEc:col:000089:013316
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    Cited by:

    1. Luis Guillermo Becerra-Valbuena & Jorge A. Bonilla, 2021. "Climatic shocks, air quality, and health at birth in Bogotá," Working Papers halshs-03429482, HAL.
    2. Laura Jeanet Martínez Rodríguez, 2017. "Impacto de la ola invernal sobre las dinámicas de uso del tiempo de hogares rurales," Documentos CEDE 15603, Universidad de los Andes, Facultad de Economía, CEDE.
    3. Mauricio Giovanni Valencia Amaya, 2019. "Climate shocks and human capital: The impact of the natural disasters of 2010 in Colombia on student achievement," Revista Cuadernos de Economia, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, FCE, CID, vol. 39(79), pages 303-328, December.
    4. Duque, Valentina & Rosales-Rueda, Maria & Sanchez, Fabio, 2019. "How Do Early-Life Shocks Interact with Subsequent Human Capital Investments? Evidence from Administrative Data," Working Papers 2019-17, University of Sydney, School of Economics.
    5. Rosales-Rueda, Maria, 2018. "The impact of early life shocks on human capital formation: evidence from El Niño floods in Ecuador," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 62(C), pages 13-44.
    6. Luis Guillermo Becerra-Valbuena & Jorge A. Bonilla, 2021. "Climatic shocks, air quality, and health at birth in Bogotá," PSE Working Papers halshs-03429482, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Human capital; early childhood; natural disasters;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I10 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - General
    • I20 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Education - - - General
    • O15 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration
    • Q54 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Climate; Natural Disasters and their Management; Global Warming
    • Q56 - Agricultural and Natural Resource Economics; Environmental and Ecological Economics - - Environmental Economics - - - Environment and Development; Environment and Trade; Sustainability; Environmental Accounts and Accounting; Environmental Equity; Population Growth

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