Treatment Options For Selective Mutism

Selective mutism is a severe anxiety disorder that usually develops between ages three and five. A child with selective mutism is anxious to the point they cannot speak. Girls are more often affected than boys. Typically, patients are paralyzed by fear and are worried about embarrassment when speaking. Patients with selective mutism are often also diagnosed with social anxiety. The earlier selective mutism is treated the better. Treatment is necessary because it does not go away and can continue through adolescence and adulthood. It can lead to academic underachievement and social isolation later on in life. With this in mind, get familiar with some of the strategies for treating selective mutism now.

Remove Immediate Pressure To Speak

Oddly, a child with selective mutism can actually be a chatterbox at home and with a few selected relatives and friends, as they are typically less anxious in familiar environments and with family. Parents are very often not aware of their child’s silence in school until a teacher contacts them. While more talking is the goal, parents and teaching should not force a child with selective mutism to immediately speak more. Pushing a child with selective mutism to speak raises their anxiety level and actually makes talking less likely.

When a parent takes the child out and encounters an acquaintance, the child may hide behind the parent’s legs. The acquaintance may try to speak to the child, causing them to freeze. It is tempting for the parent to answer because it relieves anxiety in both the child and parent but will not help the child in the long run when it comes to their communication skills. It is best to change the subject instead and avoid bombarding the child with questions. It is, however, appropriate for a child with selective mutism to be given the opportunity to respond, so parents and teachers can leave a short time between a question and a response before moving on. A child should not be bombarded with questions.

While many parents push hard for their children to say please, thank you, and other polite words, they should still not press too hard if their child is dealing with selective mutism, as it could cause regression.

Learn more about treating selective mutism now.