What is Selective Mutism?
Selective mutism is an anxiety-based mental health disorder that usually begins in early childhood after a child has developed their ability to speak. People with selective mutism speak fluently in some situations but are consistently unable to speak in other situations. It affects roughly 1 in 140 young people and can happen to any child or young person.1
In order for a child to be diagnosed with selective mutism the following conditions must be present:2 3
- Their persistent failure to speak interferes with their education and social & cognitive development.
- They can speak normally in situations where they feel comfortable.
- Their inability to speak in certain situations has lasted for at least one month (two months in a new setting).
- The failure to speak must not be due to a lack of knowledge of the language.
- The condition cannot be better explained by another behavioural, mental or communication disorder.
How Can I Support My Child at Home?
1. No Pressure
Remove any pressure or expectations around speaking in situations your child finds stressful.
2. Don’t ‘Force’ Speaking
Bribing or ‘forcing’ a person with selective mutism to speak will only make the person’s symptoms worse. Instead accept whatever type of communication they are able to offer in any given situation. In many instances this may be non-verbal communication such as looking or gesturing.
3. Comment, Don’t Question
In situations where your child struggles to speak, comment on what you are doing together or what is happening around you and your child, but don’t ask your child direct questions. This helps convey interest in what your child is doing without any pressure around speaking. Commenting gives your child the opportunity to join in when they feel comfortable.
4. Practise Situations
Talk about any upcoming situations your child may find stressful and predict possible topics of conversation and ways your child may contribute that don’t necessarily rely on speaking. For example, if you are going to a restaurant, your child could point to what they want on the menu when it is their turn to order.
5. Keep it Low Key
If your child does speak in a stressful situation, don’t make a big deal out of it (your child will not want attention drawn to them in front of others). Continue the conversation as normal and accept any form of communication they are comfortable using – verbal or nonverbal.
6. Involve a Professional
Children with suspected selective mutism should have a speech and language assessment to identify any language weaknesses that may be contributing to their communication challenges. They may also need input from a mental health provider to support them with their symptoms of anxiety.
How Can Teachers Support My Child at School?
1. No Pressure and No Bribes
Remove any pressure or expectations around speaking at school, and don’t bribe a student with selective mutism to speak in class, this will only make their symptoms worse. Instead accept whatever type of communication the student is able to offer in any given situation. In many instances this may be non-verbal communication such as looking or gesturing.
2. Pair them with Friends
Children with selective mutism often feel more comfortable when a close friend is with them. If they have a close friend with whom they are comfortable speaking, when possible have that friend seated next to them in class and in the same learning group.
3. Encourage Small Group Working
Students with selective mutism often find it easier to speak in small groups. When possible make small group work part of the educational day. Always try to group a student with selective mutism with their friends.
4. Comment, Don’t Question
When interacting with a student with selective mutism, comment on what is happening and what they or the class are doing, but don’t ask direct questions. This helps convey interest in what the student is doing without putting any pressure in the student to speak. Commenting gives a student the opportunity to join in when they feel comfortable.
5. Offer Alternative Forms of Communication
Ensure there are ways a student with selective mutism can communicate in class that are non-verbal. Many children with selective mutism can use pictures and gestures to communicate in situations where they are unable to use their voice.
6. Avoid Cold Calls
Students with selective mutism find it challenging when called on in class. Avoid putting this pressure on a student with selective mutism. If there is a situation where you will be calling on a student with selective mutism, agree a signal with them so they know they are going to be called on and make sure they have the option to answer non-verbally. For example, you may ask them a maths question where the answer is a number they can show by holding up their fingers or you may have two items or pictures that you can hold up when asking your question and they can point to the one that indicates their answer.
7. Keep it Low Key
If a student with selective mutism does speak in class, don’t make a big deal out of it (they will not want attention drawn to them in front of others). Continue the conversation as normal and accept any form of communication they are comfortable using – verbal or nonverbal.
Explaining Selective Mutism to Others
Books can be a useful way to explain selective mutism to other people, particularly classmates and your child’s friends. There are many books online that deal with selective mutism and anxiety, below are a few that you may find helpful.
- ‘Can I tell you about Selective Mutism? A guide for friends, family and professionals’ (Johnson & Wintgens)
- ‘Charli’s Choices’ (LCSW-R Marian B. Moldan)
- ‘My Friend Daniel Doesn’t Talk’ (S. Longo)
- ‘Maya’s Voice’ (Wen-Wen Cheng)
- ‘Leo’s Words Disappeared’ (Elaheh Bos)
Some people find cards that they can show others helpful when explaining why or when a child can’t speak. You can make your own, there also are cards available for purchase from Stickman Communications.
If you would like more information about selective mutism, see the South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy’s Information & Resources page or get in touch. Follow us on Facebook for more speech, language and feeding tips, and sign up for South Lakes Speech & Language Therapy’s newsletter if you would like new posts sent directly to your inbox.