评论
打印
As winter chill blankets much of the country, parents of teenagers face a daily dilemma: convince their willful children to dress warmly or let them learn from experience. One expert, pediatrician Jennifer Shu, a spokeswoman for the American Academy of Pediatrics and medical editor of the group's healthychildren.org consumer website, offers her view on what the most important item of winter clothing is and when to let children decide for themselves.
随着冬寒横扫美国大部分地区，十几岁青少年的父母每天都面临着一个两难选择：说服自己任性的孩子，让他们穿暖点，或者让他们从实际体验中学到教训。冬季着装的要点是什么？什么时候应该让孩子自己做出决定？这方面的专家、儿科医生Jennifer Shu表达了自己的观点。Jennifer Shu是美国儿科学会(American Academy of Pediatrics)的发言人，也是该学会的消费者网站healthychildren.org的医学编辑。
Core of the Matter
事件的核心
Growing kids' hearts beat faster than those of grown-ups, and their metabolisms are generally quicker. But contrary to popular belief, teens' hyperactive hormones don't elevate core temperature above the usual 98.6 degrees. Children also typically have more body surface relative to body mass, which means they can get cold faster than adults, Dr. Shu says. Older children who refuse to wear proper cold-weather gear may be irritable and unable to focus on school because they are too cold.
正在长身体的孩子的心脏跳动频率高于成年人，他们的新陈代谢速度通常也更快。但与常见认知相反的是，十几岁的青少年超级活跃的激素并不会将中心体温抬升到平常的37摄氏度以上。Jennifer Shu说，通常而言，儿童的体表面积与身体重量之比也要更高，这意味着他们的身体变冷的速度比成年人更快。年龄较大的孩子在天气寒冷时如果拒绝穿上适当的保暖衣物，他们可能会因为太冷的缘故而变得易怒，并且无法在课堂上集中精力。
'If a body is fighting to stay warm, it is stealing away energy that could be focused on other things, like fighting germs and concentrating,' she says.
她说，如果身体正在为了保暖而战斗，那么它就会偷走本来可以用在其他事情上的能量，比如与细菌战斗，比如集中精力。
Wet Is Worse
湿更可怕
Dr. Shu and her colleagues point out that being cold won't cause a child to be sick -- exposure to viruses will. Being wet and cold is a bigger risk, since internal temperatures can drop as moisture evaporates off the skin. Dr. Shu recommends that children who spend a lot of time outside wear thin, wicking fabrics close to the skin, then add a cotton layer to absorb the moisture. On top of that goes at least one other layer, preferably thick.
Jennifer Shu和她的同事们指出，仅仅是冷并不会让孩子生病，但病毒感染会让人生病。在感到冷的时候如果还处于湿的状态，那么风险就会更大，因为随着水分从皮肤表面蒸发，体内温度会下降。Jennifer Shu推荐长时间在外面玩耍的孩子贴身穿着吸湿性强的薄衣物，然后外面罩一层棉质衣服，达到吸潮的目的。在棉质衣服的外面至少还要再穿一层，最好是厚衣服。
To motivate fashion-conscious teens, she suggests looking to sports stars for inspiration. 'The Olympics are on right now, and you can see how the athletes cover up in big parkas as soon as they finish their events,' she says. 'They know they perform better when their bodies and muscles are warm.'
为了让追求时尚的十几岁的年轻人有穿衣服的动力，她的建议是：向体育明星寻求灵感。她说，现在正在开冬奥会，你会看到，在比赛结束后，运动员们都会立刻穿上毛皮风雪大衣，他们知道，如果身体和肌肉保持温暖的话，表现会更好。
Pick Your Battle
把握要点
Most older children aren't at high risk for hypothermia or frostbite, since they aren't exposed to cold for prolonged periods, Dr. Shu says. Gloves, hats and scarves are always a good idea. But if she were to pick one essential, it would be boots.
Jennifer Shu说，大多数年纪较大的孩子发生体温过低或被冻伤的风险并不高，因为他们不会太长时间地停留在寒冷环境中。手套、帽子和围巾都是不错的装备。但她说，如果要选一样必不可少的，那就是长靴。
'They will prevent a child from being wet and uncomfortable all day,' she says.
她说，有了长靴，孩子一整天都不会湿，也不会感到不舒服。
In her hometown of Atlanta, where boots aren't a regular part of winter wardrobes, Dr. Shu has seen parents Scotchgard sneakers as a temporary measure. Doubling up on clothing can also help keep the wet out and preserve appearances. 'There is a lot of pressure to look cool, I know. So I had my son put on a pair of pants beneath his nylon sports pants,' she says. 'When it snowed again, he did this on his own, and no one knew.'
她的家乡在亚特兰大，在那里，人们冬天不怎么穿长靴，Jennifer Shu曾经见过一些家长在孩子的运动鞋上涂防油防水剂，这是一种临时措施。多穿一层也是既防湿又能显得很帅的办法之一。她说，孩子们都要自己看起来酷一点，他们都有这样的压力，这我知道，所以我让我的儿子在运动裤里面再穿一条长裤；等到再下雪的时候，他自己就这么做了，别人都不知道。
Strategic Planning
战略规划
Lack of sleep and poor nutrition can make it harder for a growing child to fight the cold. These factors may be more important than bundling up for a walk to the bus stop, Dr. Shu says. She advises parents to teach children how to dress appropriately, then let them take charge of their own bodies.
睡眠不足和营养不良也能让正在长身体的孩子更难抵御寒冷的侵袭。Jennifer Shu说，在孩子走路到公共汽车站的时候，这些因素可能比多穿衣物更重要。她建议父母教会孩子如何正确穿衣，然后让他们自己掌控自己的身体。
'Taking a child shopping to pick out his favorites will help to encourage him to actually wear the clothes when he is out of a parent's sightlines, but ultimately a child must learn to make good choices,' she says.
她说。带孩子去商场，让他们自己选喜欢的衣服，这样有助于鼓励他们在父母看不见的时候真正地去穿这些衣服，但归根结底，孩子必须学会如何做出好的选择。
