Published: August 27, 2009
I was a hockey mom. My son played for many years, trained hard – and for my penance took me along for the rocky ride. Working (as I do) in the profession where we treat on a regular basis clients who have sustained traumatic brain injury, I had cause on many occasions to despair at the irresponsible and flawed thinking behind the decisions of parents ( and coaches) who allowed children to return (in haste) to play the game after sustaining injury. The percieved pressure being, that chances would be lost if too much time was taken in recovery. It was with some insight  then, that I read the New York Times piece Sports Imperative: Protecting Young Brains.
You’ve probably heard it before, but the moment is right to hear it again: If young athletes want to preserve their brains after a head injury, however minor, the typical jock advice to suck it up and get back in the game is not only bad, it’s potentially life-threatening.
Now, before the playing season starts, is the time for baseline testing of athletes involved in sports where head hits are common. With pre-injury results in hand, coaches and doctors are far better able to determine whether a concussion has occurred and if and when the brain has recovered. link to continue reading
Source: New York Times
Published: August 27, 2009
A study shows just what it takes to convince a person that he isn’t qualified to achieve thecareer of his dreams.
Researchers found that it’s not enough to tell people they don’t have the skills or the grades to make their goal a reality.
People will cling to their dreams until they’re clearly shown not only why they’re not qualified, but also what bad things can happen if they pursue their goals and fail.
“Most people don’t give up easily on the dreams. They have to be given a graphic picture of what failure will look like if they don’t make it,” said Patrick Carroll, co-author of the study and assistant professor of psychology at Ohio State University at Lima.
The findings are especially relevant now as students prepare for an uncertain job market and they, along with their teachers and guidance counselors, try to find the best career choices for them. [continue reading…]
Published: August 27, 2009
A study of 4254 Canadian schoolchildren has shown a direct association between BMI and satisfaction with their body shape. The research, published in the open access journal BMC Public Health, shows a linear response for girls, who were happiest when thinnest, and a U-shaped response for boys, who were unhappy when they were too skinny or too fat. [continue reading…]
Published: August 25, 2009
Are there really doctors like House, who seem to be able to diagnose just about anything? Lisa Sanders, whose column inspired the TV show House, presents three real-life cases in the Guardian today,that could only be diagnosed by ingenuity . . . and Google.link to continue reading
Sanders, is an internist and the author of Every Patient Tells a Story: Medical Mysteries and the Art of Diagnosis
Source: The Guardian
Related Article:The Real Doctor Behind House,Time
