Selective Mutism
Selective Mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder. Children with Selective Mutism have anxiety when required to speak in certain places and with certain people (such as at school with teachers and peers), although they speak freely in other places and with other people (usually at home with their parents). The symptoms of Selective Mutism have a negative impact on the children’s emotional, social, and educational well-being.
Treatment
With early diagnosis and treatment, SM can be successfully treated, and the child can learn to decrease and even eliminate anxiety about speaking with people they did not speak before. Without treatment, the anxiety can become more chronic and difficult to treat, potentially causing other mental disorders, such as other anxiety disorders.
Who is likely to suffer from SM?
Like other anxiety disorders, Selective Mutism has a genetic/familial component. It is common to find out that parents of children I treat end up recalling that one of them also had SM as a child, or suffered from another anxiety disorder, such as social anxiety or separation anxiety disorder. Children who have an inhibited temperament and who show symptoms of Separation Anxiety Disorder early in life are more likely to develop anxiety disorders, such as SM.
There is some data that shows that children whose families immigrate to another country, and/or that grow up bilingual are more likely to develop SM. There is also research that shows that some children with SM are more likely to have other neuro-developmental disorders, such as speech and language, emotional and sensory modulation difficulties, separation anxiety disorder, among others.
What is your next step if your child is displaying signs of Selective Mutism?
If you are worried that your child is finding it difficult to communicate with others outside of the home environment, you are welcome to contact me as I am a child psychologist who specializes in Selective Mutism. It may be wise to consult with your pediatrician, but not to neglect to see a qualified specialist as an important first step. Getting an appropriate diagnosis enables early treatment which is much more effective. Follow your intuition as a parent, you know your child best. The sooner your child receives appropriate diagnosis and treatment for SM, the more likely that the treatment will be successful and more efficient. Selective Mutism can be treated, and the symptoms can be eliminated so that your child will feel comfortable communicating with more people and in more situations and places.