In other places, such as school or the community, they cant speak due to anxiety. That means there is probably 1 child with selective mutism in every 5 classes at a school. Selective mutism can have a big impact on a childs confidence when engaging with peers andor adults and may affect their social skills or how they relate to others. Selective mutism causes some kids and teens to be too fearful to talk in some situations. Girls are more likely to have selective mutism than boys. The silence within describes a teachers experience with a selectively mute child. These activities will also be useful for any student benefiting from support with communication. They might assume that their child is shy and just think that its something they will outgrow. Resources on selective mutism should be utilized for further suggestions and information.
Selective mutism can negatively impact children in a number of ways, as children with this disorder struggle to engage in reciprocal social interactions, participate in classroom discussions and activities, and fail to assert their needs outside of the home. Any classroom games aimed at supporting the selectively mute child should be coordinated. Children with selective mutism often talk normally in settings where they are comfortable, like home. Pdf selective mutism in early childhood researchgate. The results suggest that professionally administered tests tend to underestimate their expressive language abilities, but findings also suggested that even with parent administered. Toolkit for educators selective mutism association.
Instead, it is a type of communication disorder with social anxiety elements. Selective mutism in kids tips for parents dealing with. A list of activities to support children with selective mutism in the classroom. Selective mutism sm is a type of severe social anxiety disorder of childhood characterized by talking comfortably in some settings with some people, but remaining mute or nearly mute in other settings or with other people. Teacher mom of why christopher wont talk part 2 selective mutism treating anxiety in.
See more ideas about youth games, games and games for teens. Selective mutism sm is the persistent failure to speak in specific social. Identification and treatment is a 2hour online continuing education ceceu course that details the identification and treatment of children who are selectively mute. School interventions and classroom strategies for teachers. This toolkit, compiled by members of the selective mutism association, is meant to serve as a helpful guide for educators of all kinds. When a student is demonstrating nonverbal behavior in the classroom, it will be essential to obtain information from the parentcaregiver about the students communication in the home environment. The district will purchase selective mutism educational materials to educate the childs teachers and all school personnel. Another assumption that a lot of parents, teachers, and peers like to address is the idea that children can overcome selective mutism naturally. The diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders apa, 2000 states that the following criteria lead to a diagnosis of selective mutism.
Selective mutism is a childhood anxiety disorder in which a child is mute in certain social situations, but talks comfortably in others. Children with selective mutism present in a variety of different ways. Selective mutism sm is an anxiety disorder in which a child is unable to speak in certain settings or to certain people. Increasing the knowledge and sensitivity of professionals who treat individuals experiencing selective mutism. Addressing selective mutism in the classroom kristen welsh eric. There is no single known cause of selective mutism, but there are factors that make it more likely to develop. Coexisting disorders in children with selective mutism. Children with selective mutism lisa camposano despite increasing awareness, the childhood disorder of selective mutism is underresearched and commonly misdiagnosed. Selective mutism in children selective mutism is a social anxiety disorder where an individual experiences fear and apprehension when in social situations. Selective mutism is defined as being the appropriate use of language in specific environments that the child deems as safe, with a consistent lack of speech in all other environments. The recommendations listed here are not intended to replace expert advice, but may offer some possible ideas to help teachers dealing with this issue in the classroom. When appropriate, my child talks to most peers at school. In this guide we explain what selective mutism looks like in the classroom, and advise teachers on how to approach parents if you are concerned a student might have the disorder. Sit the child to the side in the classroom, not in the front or center.
It is expected that young children, upon beginning school, will be able to use expressive language to communicate with their teacher and their peers. The third tier focuses on individual treatment methods implemented both in and outside the classroom for children who have developed the disorder. For every 1 boy with selective mutism there are approximately 2 girls who have the disorder. The combination of these intervention components seems likely to improve speech in children with selective mutism. For some children, selective mutism only occurs in specific situations, such as talking in the classroom or communicating with strangers. Provide the child with tops on how to speak in front of others as part of a classroom exercise. Incorporate communication skills into the lesson plan. Selective mutism is a rare and multidimensional childhood disorder that typically affects children entering school age. Vanier helping children with selective mutism and their parents.
Edition of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders identifies selective mutism as an anxiety disorder diagnosed when children. The district will purchase selective mutism educational materials to educate the child s teachers and all school personnel. Tips for teachers on helping the selective mute student. Ten activities to support children with selective mutism. Reluctant speaking and selective mutism resource pack. Busse and jenna downey, chapman university selective mutism is a rare anxiety disorder that prevents a child from speaking at school or other community settings, and can be detrimental to a childs social development. To date, we are unaware of any behavioral intervention studies for selective mutism in which the effects of an intervention were evaluated outside the school and across multiple community settings and social situations. A teachers guide to selective mutism child mind institute. This freebie includes tips, info, a parent survey and cards for middle school and high school use.
Speech therapy for special populations when we receive a child with selective mutism on our caseload we are often at a. A threetiered approach to prevention and intervention r. My youngest daughter struggled for 7 years i was the sole adult she would speak t. But they cant speak in other places or situations, like at school or in public. Pdf using play as a key to unlocking the silence for children with. The early years support teacher will support the school setting in. This is why its important to involve an expert whenever possible.
What is selective mutism nea education policy and practice department center for great public schools 1201 16th st. Supporting children with selective mutism practice guidelines. Students with selective mutism might be able to speak just fine in comfortable environments, like at home with family members. A teacher parent guide to working with selectively mute and shy children. Selective mutism questionnaire smq please consider your childs behavior in the last two weeks and rate how frequently each statement is true for your child. It means that even though the child speaks fluently at home with familyneighborssome friends, the clinical levels of social anxiety experienced actually block the ability to vocalize in group settings and with most other people. Selective mutism is a severe anxiety disorder where a person is unable to speak in certain social situations, such as with classmates at school or to relatives they do not see very often. Below are some other tips on working with a student with selective mutism in your classroom. The selective mutism resource manual by maggie johnson helping your child with selective mutism. How does this resource excite and engage childrens learning. How to differentiate symptoms and navigate behaviors wednesday, march 16, 2016. The purpose of this article is to highlight current issues. Selective mutism is an impairing behavioral condition in which a child fails to speak in certain social situations despite speaking regularly and normally in other situations.
Identifying and assessing selective mutism evidencebased intervention for schools and parents aimee kotrba, ph. The contents are primarily based on the selective mutism resource manual. Maggie johnson, selective mutism advisory service, kent community health nhs trust. A guide for schoolbased professionals by christopher kearney. Practice and intervention strategies for children shulan hung, michael s.
This person may be quite capable of speech but is unable to speak in certain environments, or in front of some people. Classroom strategies for teachers of selectively mute children by. Speech language pathologists can help identify accommodations for students with selective mutism. Many children with selective mutism also have social anxiety disorder. For example, being slow to warm up to new situations, the tendency to withdraw from new or unfamiliar situations early in life, a family history of an anxiety disorder including selective mutism, speech or language problems, and genetic factors. Selective mutism is a rare anxiety disorder that appears in children usually between the ages of 3 and 8. Drawing from experience ive created this pack of tips to use in your classroom with a child that has selective mutism. Manuals for parents, teachers, and therapists, is an innovative, effective approach to the treatment of selective mutism, which is based both on rich clinical experience spanning two decades, and on theoretical knowledge of how. Spencer, and rani dronamraju the onset of selective mutism sm is usually between the ages of three and five years, when the children first go to preschool. This paper provides a personal reflection on the topic of selective mutism, both in practice and the literature, examines the impacts of six selective mutism interventions, and discusses overall effective interventions. Playing spot it with child in the classroom as the teacher. These picture cards can serve as a communication device for these children. School supports for students with selective mutism. Also described is the process that followed in the child overcoming the disorder, after five years of being mute in school and all social situations.
Improving treatments and medications for selective mutism. Selective mutism sm is an anxiety disorder that affects children in school, where they find themselves unable to speak, though they speak comfortably at home. Selective mutism is a complex disorder, and no one treatment will work for every child affected. Selective mutism classroom action plan 6 great ideas. These visits can take place at school, too, before other students come into the classroom.
In this guide we explain what selective mutism looks like in the classroom, and advise teachers on how to approach parents if you are concerned a student might. The school will provide quarterly parentfaculty meetings to update and report upon accommodations and progress. Laura kirmayer, phd, msw director of brave buddies. Selective mutism factsheet for schools for parents.
Practical steps to overcome a fear of speaking by angela e. Please practice handwashing and social distancing, and check out our resources for adapting to these times. Pdf selective mutism sm is a relatively uncommon disorder in. The ideal classroom setting for the selectively mute child. It is characterized by the persistent failure to speak in select social settings despite possessing the ability to speak and speak comfortably in more familiar settings. Selective mutism school social work, school psychology.
The most common setting for children with sm to struggle in is school. Some children or adults never talk outside the home, some whisper, and some speak with only a select few people. Selective mutism is a complex childhood anxiety disorder characterized by a childs inability to speak and communicate effectively in select social settings, such as school. Some children can be shut down and noncommunicative stage 0 on the social communication bridge while others can become comfortable but use nonverbal means of communicating, such as pointing, gesturing or nodding, etc. Examined the phenomenological characteristics of selective mutism sm in the following areas. A motivational interview for someone with selective mutism could include asking about the positive i. Have a friend or an outgoing student sit next to the child with selective mutism. New team building games for kids classroom social skills 28.