Despite the word ‘selective’ in Selective Mutism, it does not mean that a person is selecting or choosing to be quiet or mute, rather there are select places, people or situations where anxiety is so strong it forces muteness. They are not choosing to be, or being ‘shy’, rather, they are exhibiting a state of anxiety. From people with Selective Mutism who have been able to explain it to me, it can feel like words are caught in their throat and can’t come out, or stuck in their brain and they freeze and cannot talk – sometimes not even participate. People with Selective Mutism are able to speak and communicate in settings where they are comfortable, secure, and relaxed.
Selective Mutism is diagnosed in the category of anxiety disorders. It more often than not goes alongside social anxiety, and up to around half of the time there are speech and language delays associated. There are many other anxiety characteristics that can go along with Selective Mutism so it is important to seek assessment and help. It is relatively rare so it can be hard to know what to do if you haven’t come across it before.
A diagnosis of Selective Mutism is characterized by a consistent failure to speak in specific settings despite talking normally in other settings. This is present for at least one month and cannot be attributed to a lack of knowledge of, or discomfort with the spoken language required in the social situation. It cannot be better explained by a communication disorder. It also needs to be interfering with daily functioning.
You might be interested in learning more about Selective Mutism as part of this free training course. I know it can be hard to find training, especially on niche subjects, let alone it being free! The webinar gives a good overview of Selective Mutism and will reiterate that Selective Mutism is a complex anxiety disorder – not stubbornness or shyness. My recommended DVD training resource that costs is from Dr Elizabeth Woodcock at the Selective Mutism Clinic in Sydney.
A documentary that may help you understand and/or try some strategies that may be used at some point is ‘Raising a Child With Selective Mutism.’
A great book for understanding and treating Selective Mutism is ‘Tackling Selective Mutism‘.
I run a private practice in Hamilton, and clinic appointments are available for assessment and therapy for Selective Mutism. I am happy to help your child at school through teacher meetings via video call, particularly if you aren’t able to access support from a Ministry of Education Speech Language Therapist, Educational Psychologist or Resource Teacher Learning & Behaviour (RTLB). Your GP may refer to your local Clinical Psychologist and/or Psychiatrist for diagnosis and therapy, though this varies around NZ.
A person with Selective Mutism needs therapy, not just to reduce anxiety, but to build communication in a variety of settings with a variety of people in a variety of ways. You don’t just grow out of Selective Mutism and it can worsen over time if left untreated. If you are in the Waikato, feel free to give me a call to discuss therapy options for you and your child.