Mutism in Children

Selective Mutism  in Children

Children and adults with selective mutism are fully capable of speech and understanding language but fail to speak in certain situations, though speech is expected of them. The behaviour may be perceived as shyness or rudeness by others. A child with selective mutism may be completely silent at school for years but speak quite freely or even excessively at home. 

Selective mutism is  characterized by the following ways:

 Consistent failure to speak in specific social situations (in which there is an expectation for speaking, e.g., at school) despite speaking in other situations.
 The disturbance interferes with educational or occupational achievement or with social communication.
 The duration of the disturbance is at least 1 month (not limited to the first month of school).
 The failure to speak is not due to a lack of knowledge of, or comfort with, the spoken language required in the social situation.
 The disturbance is not better accounted for by a communication disorder (e.g., stuttering) and does not occur exclusively during the course of a pervasive developmental disorder,schizophrenia, or other psychotic disorder. Shyness, social anxiety, fear of social embarrassment, and/or social isolation and withdrawal
 Difficulty maintaining eye contact
 Blank expression and reluctance to smile
 Stiff and awkward movements
 Difficulty expressing feelings, even to family members
 Tendency to worry more than most people of the same age
 Desire for routine and dislike of changes
 Sensitivity to noise and crowds
 Moodiness
 Sleep problems, Adjustment Problem 

Selective mutism is not a communications disorder and is not part of a developmental disorder. By definition, selective mutism does not include children with conduct disorders, oppositional/defiant behavior, and/or attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder.

The principal problem in children with selective mutism appears to be anxiety. This anxiety (which causes avoidance) seems closest to the definition of social anxiety disorder (social phobia). Indeed, most adults with social anxiety disorder relate strongly and can fully understand selective mutism, even though they themselves were not necessarily children with selective mutism.

Do's and Don'ts for Parents Treating your Selectively Mute Child
• Do learn what “enabling” is.
• Do not ask your child if he or she is going to speak in a given situation.
• Do learn a methodology of “empowering” your child’s potential and initiative.
• Do not continue “enabling” your child’s “addiction to the avoidance of speaking”.
• Do learn to employ a “matter of fact” set of expectations for your child that will facilitate the process of trying to talk.
• Do not show anger when your child is not talking.
• Do learn to be on the same “team” with parenting technique.
• Do not plead with your child to talk.

• Do attentively and patiently listen when your child is attempting to communicate.
• Do not reward your child for talking.
• Do learn to extract thoughts and feelings regarding fear from your child.
• Do not impatiently finish your child’s sentences or encourage over-dependence.
• Do learn to advocate on behalf of your child with school.
Hypnosis is also very useful in these type of problems. 
Thank

Dr.Shweta singh

    Guest Lecturer,

   Dpt. of Applied Psychology,

   V.B.S.Purvanchal University

   Jaunpur,U.P.,INDIA 

     mail- shweta_opsingh@rediffmail.com