Thread: Anxiety Disordrs and Selective Mutism

Selective mutism is a communication anxiety disorder. It is genetically related and average onset is 3.7 years of age. Often, children of parents who have anxiety related disorders inherit disorders themselves, including selective mutism.

Generally, selective mutism is called shyness for several years until a child enters school and does not function verbally in school and most social situations outside of school. Parents and teachers become very concerned and seek further assistance and diagnosis. These children have the ability to speak and understand language, develop age appropriate skills, and function normally at home with most family members and are, therefore, often misdiagnosed. If this nonverbal behavior outside of the home lasts for a period of time, it becomes a learned pattern and is quite difficult to overcome, because the longer a child is silent, the more entrenched the behavior becomes.

Most school personnel do not have the expertise or experience to deal with a child having this disorder which is caused by anxiety and avoidance. This disability has received more attention in the past few years and therefore, the numbers of children identified who are suffering with the disorder have risen sharply.

School interventions have proven to be quite difficult partially due to teacher and administrator lack of knowledge and materials, fear, and inexperience. Selectively mute children quickly learn to use avoidance techniques, as do their teachers, and to use the school environment to accommodate this debilitating condition. Thus, nonsupportive schools who avoid an appropriate intervention begin to do unjust harm to these children.

It is evident that teachers who discover a selectively mute child in their classroom do want to help. However, it appears, they have a very difficult time finding research based strategies and a format that can be used in a sequential order within the school setting. Current research and materials are becoming more available. Please educate yourselves about this anxiety disorder so that you do not overlook a child in your classroom since early intervention is critical.

I hope that I have given you some needed information so that these children do not continue to suffer in silence.
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Gail Kervatt
[url="http://www.selective-mutism.com"]http://www.selective-mutism.com[/url]