Selective mutism
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 mutism will often have other fears and social anxieties , and they may also have additional speech and language difficulties in childhood.
They're often wary of doing anything that draws attention to them because they think that by doingso others will expect them to talk.
For example, a child may not do their best in class after seeing other children being asked to read out good work, or they may be afraid to change their routine in case this provokes comments or questions. Many have a general fear of making mistakes.
Additional difficulties can also arise from the inability to start a conversation.
Accidents and urinary infections may result from being unable to ask to use the toilet and holding on for hours at a time. School-aged children may avoid eating and drinking throughout the day so they don't need to excuse themselves.
Children may have difficulty with homework assignments or certain topics because they're unable to ask questions in class and seek clarification.
Teenagers may not develop independence because they're afraid to leave the house unaccompanied. And adults may lack qualifications because they're unable to participate in college life or subsequent interviews.
Medically Reviewed by a doctor on 21 Dec 2018
Introduction
Find out about selective mutism, a severe anxiety disorder that prevents a person from speaking to certain people or in certain social situations.
Signs of selective mutism
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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