Teen Brains Are Too Rational
We tend to think of teenagers as risk-takers, reckless and heedless of dangers that older people tend to avoid. But a study from researchers at Cornell University indicate that the opposite is true: teens weigh the risks and benefits of driving too fast or drinking too much and then select the option that gives them the perceived benefit (i.e., the rush of breaking the law or the high is better than not having it). The problem is, they just don’t have the experience to calculate the odds properly. Mature or experienced decision makers rely more on intuitive reasoning, processing situations and problems by what happened in an earlier situation. Teens aren’t there yet.
So rather than drilling teens on the risks of unprotected sex or how many smokers get lung cancer, it might be better to focus risk-avoidance techniques. By teaching teens how to do intuitive reasoning rather than rational thinking, we can lead them to better decision-making.
Swimming the Best for Exercise-Induced Asthma
If your teen is suddenly complaining of being short of breath, coughing, or wheezing whenever she has to run a mile in gym, she may not be malingering. Kids who have never been diagnosed with asthma may have a specific condition called “exercise-induced asthma”, that only comes on when they are physically active. For some people, exercise-induced asthma occurs within three to eight minutes of starting activity or exercise. For others, exercise-induced asthma occurs after stopping exercise.
EIA need not limit participation or success in vigorous activities. It can be managed with medicine so that its effects are minimized. Swimming in an indoor pool may be the ideal exercise for asthmatics because the warm, humid air keeps the airways from drying and cooling.