Selective mutism

Advice for parents

You may find the advice below helpful if your child has been diagnosed with selective mutism.

Don't pressurise or bribe your child to encourage them to speak.
Let your child know you understand they're scared to speak and have difficulty speaking at times. Tell them they can take small steps when they feel ready and reassure them that talking will get easier.
Don't praise your child publicly for speaking because this can cause embarrassment. Wait until you're alone with them and consider a special treat for their achievement.
Reassureyour child that non-verbal communication, such as smiling and waving, is fine until they feel better about talking.
Don'tavoid parties or family visits, but consider what environmental changes are necessary to make the situation more comfortable for your child.
Ask friends and relatives to give your child time to warm up at his or her own pace and focus on fun activities rather than getting them to talk.
As well as verbal reassurance, give them love, support and patience.

Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018

Articles for selective mutism

Introduction

Find out about selective mutism, a severe anxiety disorder that prevents a person from speaking to certain people or in certain social situations.

Selective mutism usually starts in early childhood, between the ages of two and four. It's often first noticed whenthe child starts to interact with people outside their family, such aswhen they begin

What causes selective mutism?

Experts regard selective mutism asa fear (phobia) of talking to certain people. The cause isn't always clear, butit's known to be associated with anxiety. Thechildwill usually have inherited a tende

Diagnosing selective mutism

Left untreated, selective mutism can lead to isolation, low self-esteem and social anxiety disorder . It can continue into adolescence and adulthood if not tackled. However, a child can successfully

Associated difficulties

It's important to understand how selective mutism canaffect a child's education and development, and the impact it can have on a young person's or adult's everyday life. A person with selective mutis

Treating selective mutism

With appropriate handling and treatment, most children are able to overcome selective mutism.But the older they are when the condition is diagnosed, the longer it will take. The effectiveness of trea

Advice for parents

You may find the advice below helpful if your child has been diagnosed with selective mutism. Don't pressurise or bribe your child to encourage them to speak. Let your child know you understand the

Getting help and support

It's only relativelyrecently that selective mutism has been properly understood and effective treatment approaches have been developed. The body of expertise among healthcare professionals, education

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