Selective mutism is a childhood anxiety disorder that impacts a child’s ability to speak and effectively communicate in social settings. It exists on a spectrum ranging from mild to severe. Selective mutism is much more than just “being shy” and without appropriate treatment, can exist into adulthood.
Common symptoms of selective mutism:
- A child speaks freely at home or with a few trusted individuals, but not in public or around new/unfamiliar people
- A child appears fearful of speaking resulting in other anxiety symptoms or “shutting down” when pressed to communicate
- A child consistently struggles to maintain appropriate vocal tone, eye contact, or social presence when speaking with unfamiliar individuals
- A child will “speak through” a trusted individual such as a parent by whispering their responses to them, with the expectation that the adult will relay the information to others
While this is commonly perceived as a “speech disorder”, it rarely stems from difficulties actually speaking. Some speech therapists who have received specialized training in treating selective mutism may be able to treat a child with this diagnosis, however, it is more commonly treated by a child psychologist. Treatment may include cognitive behavioral therapy, stimulus fading, graded exposure, or medication.
A speech pathologist may be able to help your child if they have other speech or language impairments and trust their speech therapist enough to speak in front of them. However, first addressing the anxiety associated with selective mutism is often the best course of action. If you have questions or concerns regarding possible selective mutism in your child, it is recommended you contact your child’s pediatrician and request a referral to a child psychologist.