Does Your Child Have Sluggish Cognitive Tempo? Symptoms and Treatments of SCT
Sluggish cognitive tempo (SCT) is a mental disorder that is very much related to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Kids with SCT often have to deal with the following symptoms – difficulty in concentration, lethargic behavior, daydreaming, mental fogginess etc. Most patients who are diagnosed with SCT often have ADHD symptoms. Also, children with ADHD may also have SCT.
SCT Symptoms
Sluggish cognitive tempo, also known as concentration deficit disorder, causes difficulty in focusing and decision making. There can be several other signs and symptoms, including:
• Sleepy feeling or drowsiness
• Daydreaming
• Confusion and distraction
• Having little interest in physical activities
• Social passiveness and withdrawal
• Anxiety and depression
SCT Causes
Sluggish cognitive tempo causes are usually unknown. However, doctors came to know from a recent study that heritability can be a cause of SCT. Also, another study has recently talked about the link between thyroid functioning and SCT.
How to Diagnose Sluggish Cognitive Tempo?
To diagnose patients with SCT, the psychiatrist or psychologist conduct interviews with the patient and his or her family members. The mental health expert may ask the family members about the patient’s behavior. Interviews and Q&A sessions help the professionals diagnose SCT. To ensure whether the child has SCT, the mental health professional compares his or her symptoms with ADHD, depression and anxiety symptoms.
SCT Treatments
To children with SCT, doctors usually recommend any of the three treatment options – therapy, medication and lifestyle changes.
• Antidepressants help patients deal with anxiety and depression
• Stimulants such as Ritalin help in improving concentration or focus
• Therapy can be used to improve the social skills of patients
• Cognitive-behavioral therapy is the treatment option for anxiety and depression
• A healthy diet, regular exercise and good sleep habits can help with lethargic behavior
How to Help Your Child with SCT or ADHD?
Children with SCT or ADHD find it difficult to focus on study. To improve their concentration, parents like you can try the following ways:
• Using Positive Statements
To motivate your child, use positive statements. It helps him, or her handle challenges with a positive approach. Also, it helps them learn positive self-talk. Children with SCT or ADHD often have negative self-esteem. Cognitive-behavioural techniques like this one can be effective for them. Because positive statements boost their confidence and motivate them.
• Doing Brain Exercises
Simple games like crossword puzzles, memory games etc., can be effective for children who have SCT or ADHD. These games help them improve their attention and focus. To improve the SCT or ADHD symptoms of your kid, do not forget to play these games. Also, it will be fun.
• Giving Rewards
There are several ways to motivate your child, and rewards are undoubtedly one of them. Give your kid simple rewards sometimes to motivate them to achieve success. This also helps them improve their low self-esteem.
• Teaching Relaxing Techniques
Kids who have SCT or ADHD often become stressed out. Some relaxing techniques can be beneficial for them since they help them manage stress and uplift their mood. These techniques can be simple breathing exercises or something else.
Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) is relatively a new term in the world of psychology. Doctors are still unaware of its exact cause and many other things. They have been working on it to figure out what works best for SCT patients.