Selective Mutism: Beyond Talking

Описание: We look at children's fears and anxieties that go beyond talking such as going to the bathroom and eating. In this video, we talk about some practical steps you can take to help children overcome their fears in these situations.

About Selective Mutism:
Selective mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder in which a child is unable to speak in some settings and to some people. A child with SM may talk normally at home, for instance, or when alone with her parents, but cannot speak at all, or speak above a whisper, in other social settings—at school, in public, or at extended family gatherings. Parents and teachers often think the child is willful and refuses to speak, or speak loud enough to be heard, but the child experiences it as an inability. It can cause severe distress—she can’t communicate even if she is in pain, or, say, needs to use the bathroom—and prevents her from participating in school and other age-appropriate activities. It should not be confused with the reluctance to speak a child adapting to a new language might exhibit, or shyness in the first few weeks at a new school.
Read more: https://childmind.org/guide/selective...

Treatment:
Selective mutism is treated with cognitive-behavioral therapy. Pressure usually exacerbates the problem, so the therapist works gradually and systematically with the child, using positive reinforcement to build the his confidence and help him find his voice in the settings where he has trouble speaking. The therapist also works with parents to teach them how to apply these techniques in real-life settings. There is evidence that intensive treatments are most effective.

The Child Mind Institute hosts regular intensive group behavioral treatment programs called Brave Buddies℠, which are designed to help children 3-12 years old with selective mutism (SM) speak in school and other public places. We create a classroom-like setting that offers children a safe environment to practice verbal participation, or what we call “brave talking.”
Learn more: https://childmind.org/center/brave-bu...