Selective Mutism

My daughter has someone in her class with selective mutism & I am in complete awe how much the mom is the advocate for her daughter. She & I rode the train together the other day.

She mentioned the children with selective mutism are often misdiagnosed as on the autism spectrum. Once her daughter was diagnosed, they had her going to a specialist that deals with SM. Her daughter has come leaps & bounds. She is up to whispering at school to friends & even to teachers. They learned coping techniques (be first at a party so she can see people come in a few at a time versus the anxiety of a crowded room), has a 504 plan in place at school with specific instructions for teachers (no one is to force her to speak, when you first meet her no eye contact, ask yes or no questions in the beginning).

I wanted to put it out there in case someone else was dealing with it. The only way she discovered it was her mother read an article in Parenting Magazine. At that point, her daughter was 3 & never spoke at pre-school.

Selective Mutism link

Re: Selective Mutism

wow! i saw a special on this topic, not sure what show, but i was surpised at this also. didn't know it existed. yay for her little one whispering!

Re: Selective Mutism

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Selective Mutism

I've worked with children with selective mutism before. I had one girl in a class that had to go behind a door and whisper to her friends, and the friends would relay the message. The other two children I had in my classes with it were ELL students. They understood the language, could respond to it, but were uncomfortable speaking in any language to anyone. I found a few coping techniques that worked and would not make a big deal as they started to get more comfortable and whisper, or say a sentence in class because it tended to make them uncomfortable.

Glad your daughter's classmate is making progress!

ETA: Just saw this was from a few years ago. Is the little girl more comfortable speaking in school now?

Message edited 7/22/2013 12:42:54 PM.

Selective Mutism

I worked on a charity board this year and we worked with the Brave buddies program for kids with selective mutism. They do AMAZING things for kids!!!! Have her get in touch with them if she is not currently working with them.