Sluggish Cognitive Tempo

Sluggish Cognitive Tempo (SCT) has been defined by researchers as a developmental disorder that may affect individuals at a younger age, falling in the category Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - Predominantly Inattentive (ADHD-PI). Such individuals may be tagged as daydreamers, inattentive, confused, and blank in most cases. It has been found that the cause of this condition is primarily hereditary in nature. However, research has shown that SCT emerges from problems with the prefrontal cortex of the brain, and problems with retrieving memory. Further, lack of production of dopamine and norepinephrine may also be responsible for this condition. Though not formally recognized by medical manuals such as the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), SCT is a condition that affects a lot of people. Here, we will talk about the symptoms of SCT, and the treatment methods that are adopted to treat it.

Symptoms

Surprisingly, the symptoms of those suffering from sluggish cognitive tempo are different from the symptoms of ADHD. The symptoms of SCT may be obvious in the early stages of life, for instance, when a child is ready to enter preschool. These symptoms have been explained here.

• Lack of Focus: Children with SCT are likely to have issues with academics, due to their inability to focus for long periods on verbal information. They are likely to face trouble retrieving verbal information from their memory, though they may be better off with visual or spatial information.
• Sluggish Demeanor: While those with ADHD are hyperactive and distracted, those with SCT are more sluggish (as the name suggests) and slow. They take longer to understand and process information, and are in what appears to be a dream-like state.
• Lack of Motivation: Individuals with SCT seem to be lacking the motivation to perform basic tasks and activities, which is why they are found continually seeking those kinds of activities that will arouse them mentally. This behavior pattern is likely to be erratic, and they may also show highs and lows in their thought process and their daily activities. More often than not, however, those with SCT are passive individuals who lack the drive to perform different tasks, and may also suffer from mood swings.
• Social Withdrawal and Depression: Those with SCT are also more prone to the development of depression and social dysfunction due to their introvert nature. They are socially withdrawn individuals who are perceived as aloof and disinterested by those around them.
• Low Comprehension Abilities: Individuals suffering from SCT are also likely to have trouble with calculations, difficulty understanding abstract concepts and abstract reasoning, and with reading. Due to their behavior patterns, they are known to be disorganized and prone to losing their things easily.
• Forgetfulness: Because of their inability to it those with SCT are likely to be very forgetful, irrespective of the importance of a particular item or event.

Other symptoms include the inability to follow instructions, dislike towards task that require continuous attention, easy distraction from the task at hand, and making mistakes often.

Treatment

While this condition is known to last all life, there are some methods by which psychiatrists have been able to improve, if not completely treat, the responses to stimuli of individuals suffering from it. This they do by administering medication that help enhance the production of norepinephrine and dopamine, thereby sustaining the belief that the sluggish cognitive tempo disorder may be the result of a lack of these. Apart from prescribing medication, psychiatrists also attempt to utilize cognitive behavioral therapy techniques, that are known to reduce the intensity of the condition. Finally, some experts believe that this is a condition that children will eventually outgrow. However, this is simply a belief that is not backed by any scientific proof.

Now, some psychologists and psychiatrists believe that this disorder is simply an excuse that has been given by people to cover up laziness. However, there are individuals who indicate these symptoms and suffer from this condition because of actual developmental disabilities. This condition can be diagnosed and treated only by a qualified psychiatrist. Further, such symptoms should not be ignored, and should be reported to a professional immediately to arrest the progress of this condition by administering appropriate treatment. This will help improve the overall quality of life of the affected individual.

Disclaimer: This Buzzle article is for informative purposes only, and should not be used as a replacement for the advice of a mental health expert.

Dog Constipation: Symptoms and Treatment

Constipation is a common medical problem for dogs, especially the older ones. A dog is considered constipated, if it does not defecate for two consecutive days. The causes of irregular bowel movement in dogs are many, of which some include less water intake, dehydration, poor diet, low fiber food, and physical inactivity. It may also be resulted due to feeding of highly processed dog foods for a prolonged duration.

Symptoms of Dog Constipation

As a pet owner, you should take proper care of your dog's health and should be aware about any abnormal conditions. Any change in the pet's behavior may be related to underlying diseases. In fact, a dog having defecation problem may appear uncomfortable and show certain signs, which clearly indicate that something is wrong. An obvious sign of canine constipation is frequent visit to the bathroom with little success. Other notable dog constipation symptoms that you should not neglect are listed below.

• Passing very hard stool
• Straining while defecating
• Painful bowel movement
• Swelling and soreness in the anal region
• Abdominal distension
• Difficulty in walking
• Abnormal gait
• Increased whining
• Reluctant to do physical activities
• Loss of appetite
• Mental stress

Very often, a dog may experience difficulty in bowel movement due to inflammation of the large intestine or colon. In such a condition, the pet suffers from increased pain in the abdominal portion. In case of severe constipation and straining, the pet dog may pass blood in small amounts, which is because of blood vessel damage in the colon. At times, bloody and/or watery stool may indicate infection rather than dog constipation.

Treatment of Dog Constipation

A mild constipated dog will recover from the problem without therapeutic intervention. But, if the condition persists for a couple of days, it is always advisable to seek advice of a qualified veterinarian. Dog constipation, if not treated in the early stages may lead to other dog health problems such as indigestion, skin problems, bad breath, body odor, flatulence, and bowel cancer. The veterinarian may prescribe food supplements that contain certain enzymes or chemicals for ensuring normal bowel movement. If necessary, the vet may suggest an enema procedure.

Treatment can be done effectively by changing the regular diet plan. A safe and reliable approach is, feeding your dog raw meat, bran, wheat, pumpkin, sweet potatoes, and fiber rich food. Also, make sure you take a note of your pet's likes and dislikes. With each passing day, you can lower the amount of regular food. Allow the dog to drink ample water, which will keep the body well-hydrated. While adding dietary fiber, make sure that the amount is increased gradually, otherwise it may worsen the constipation by causing indigestion.

At times, difficulty in bowel movement is caused due to ingestion of bones or other indigestible particles and side effects of medications. Food items that may worsen your pet's condition are bread, cookies, chocolate, rice, pastries, and ice cream. In other words, you should limit feeding food items that contain flour, refined sugar, dairy products, and protein-rich foods.

If your pet shows no improvement even after changing the diet plan, you can opt for natural laxatives like psyllium husk and mineral oil. Add the laxative to the dog's food as per the recommendation of the vet. Usually, the amount of laxative depends on the size and overall health of the dog. It may take four to six weeks to regain the normal health condition. As for preventing dog constipation, feed the dog healthy foods, allow it to drink lots of water, and try to maintain a regular exercise regimen.

Facial Hair Growth Products

Facial hair like a mustache or a goatee is associated with manliness. Many young men who are unable to grow a mustache, are always looking for ways of growing or speeding up the process of growth of facial hair. One good way to go about it is to use facial hair growth products. There are many such products available in the market. But you should be aware about the ingredients and the safety of these products before using them.

Facial Hair Growth Products for Men

So how effective are these products? Do they really speed up the process of facial hair growth? Or is it all just a marketing gimmick? Well, from what I've read and heard, here is the truth. The following facts should provide a better idea of the usefulness of these products.

Growth of facial hair almost entirely depends on the following factors:

• Genetics
• Testosterone levels
• Overall health (to a certain extent)

When and how much your facial hair will grow, depends a lot on your genes and the genetic characteristics and features you have inherited from your parents. You can't do much to change that aspect of your body. Growth of the facial hair is a sign of outward or physical maturity, and the body's testosterone levels are closely associated with this factor. Sometimes, low testosterone levels can result in lack (or the slow growth) of facial hair. Not to be left out, your overall body health also plays an important role in the growth of facial hair. Providing your body with all the necessary nutrients through a balanced diet, getting enough exercise and enough sleep are the contributing factors in maintaining a healthy hair growth. Let us find more.

As far as these products are concerned, I would say that there are no known products which guarantee to stimulate facial hair growth, or speed up the process. Facial hair growth is different from hair growth on the head, and cosmetic hair growth products are known to be effective only in the case of the latter. Growth of facial hair is a natural process and one that takes its own sweet time. However, if you're hellbent on trying to speed up the process of growing a beard, you should try the following:

• Try taking small doses of Biotin (a water-soluble B vitamin). It is said to boost the process of hair growth (in case of hair on the head). Who knows, maybe it can produce the desired results with the facial hair too. However, it is recommended that you consult a doctor before taking any such nutritional supplements.
• Try massaging your jaw, chin, etc. with a little bit of eucalyptus oil. Eucalyptus oil is said to be good for hair growth and it may speed up the process of growing a beard.
• Try shaving. Shaving, more often than not, results in the hair growing back faster and thicker. It may well help you speed up the process of growing a beard and getting your desired beard style.
• Cleanliness is another factor which promotes fast growth of facial hair. Use of steam is especially helpful which allows opening the pores of skin and makes the process of cleaning much easier. Exfoliation i.e. removal of dead skin is another process which opens the pores of skin.
• It is observed that the build-up of stress is responsible for slowing down of hair growth. Not only does stress causes the slow down of hair growth, but also makes the hair brittle and weak. The solution to overcoming this problem is doing exercise and meditating regularly.

My advice to you is, do not run after any so-called wonder product. The tested and tried methods of promoting hair growth that are mentioned above, should be far more effective. Let your beard grow on its own, and allow it to take its own sweet time to do so.

Bleeding Stomach Ulcer

A bleeding stomach ulcer, which is also known as a peptic ulcer, is an ulcer that is formed in the gastrointestinal tract. The peptic ulcer or peptic ulcer disease (PUD) causes abrasions in the mucosal lining of the stomach. Though this condition is called stomach ulcer, lesions may often occur in the duodenum, which is the starting point of the small intestine, rather than in the stomach. These can also develop in the entire gastrointestinal tract. One of the main causes of ulcers is an injury to the gastric mucosal lining, which can lead to the destruction of the intestinal lining due to hydrochloric acid, which is a major component of the digestive juices in the stomach. Too much caffeine, alcohol and smoking may trigger the unnecessary growth of lesions in the digestive tract. Older age people, individuals suffering from chronic stress, diabetes, repetitive stress injuries, fibromyalgia are at a higher risk of suffering from this problem. According to a research, this condition is also passed down through generations. This condition can be quite painful and prove to be life-threatening in the absence of proper treatment.

Bleeding Ulcer Symptoms

The symptoms of a bleeding ulcer in the stomach may be similar to stomach flu or an upset stomach. An individual suffering from a perforated stomach ulcer will show the following symptoms:

• Burning Sensation: A common indication of an ulcer is burning sensation in the stomach. This sensation can cause extreme discomfort to the person and can last up to four hours. In some cases, this discomfort tends to be misinterpreted for heartburn. The pain may also become severe with the passage of time and may have to be brought to the attention of the doctor.
• Abdominal Pain: When the ulcer becomes severe, the inner lining of the stomach tends to become perforated, leading to the accumulation of undigested food material and stomach acids in the abdominal cavity. This condition can cause severe and unbearable abdominal pain, which may increase, even with the slightest movement. If the ulcer grows into the stomach lining, the pain may become frequent and extreme.
• Belching: One of the symptoms of bleeding peptic ulcer that tends to be ignored is continued or excessive belching. Belching can also be accompanied with acid reflux disease and abdominal pain.
• Changes in Weight: Since the signs of a stomach ulcer are often misunderstood to be those of a heartburn or some other ailment of the stomach, the individual, in order to ease these signs tends to overeat. This may lead to the person becoming overweight.
• Bloating: When the bleeding lesion is present at the base of the duodenum of the small intestine, then a scar tissue may form which can block the path between the stomach and the duodenum. This condition is also known as duodenal ulcer. The individual may experience bloating, abdominal fullness and a feeling of nausea followed by vomiting.

Treating Stomach Lesions

Before administering treatment, the physician may conduct a few diagnostic tests like a physical exam, blood tests, upper gastrointestinal (GI) series and endoscopy to determine the intensity of the problem. He may also analyze the previous medical history and assess the signs exhibited. Treatment for bleeding ulcer involves certain types of medication. These drugs include antibiotics and antihistamines like H2 blockers. Antibiotics are used to treat the ulcers, if they are caused by the presence of a kind of bacteria called H. pylori. Antacids may also be prescribed to reduce acidity in the stomach. In severe cases, if the situation gives rise to complications, then the individual may have to undergo surgery. A diet for this condition must include nutrients to reduce the effect of the ulcer. The diet must contain food that is rich in fiber to aid proper and better digestion of food. Intake of protein rich foods must also be increased to help in the quicker healing and repair of the tissues.

Bleeding stomach ulcers can be avoided by practicing a healthy lifestyle and avoiding the consumption of alcohol and smoking. The chances of getting a bleeding ulcer can also be reduced by curbing the excessive use of anti-inflammatory and non steroidal medication. Take care!