The Daily Mail wrote recently about the subject of Selective Mutism in the UK population. You can read the article in full here:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2124284/The-children-choose-stay-silent-The-sad-surprisingly-common-plight-youngsters-selective-mutism.html
The article discusses the impact of selective mutism on three children and their families.
Selective Mutism is a communication disorder that can affect any individual, although usually children from pre-school age right through to adolescence and beyond. Children with a diagnosis of selective mutism are often very chatty, sociable and happy at home, interacting happily with parents and family members. However in other, more stressful communicative environments such as nursery or school, they are unable to speak.
Selective mutism is regularly misconceived by health and education professionals as a refusal to talk. This implies that the child has control over the disorder. Speech and language experts in selective mutism however, stress that this is not the case: selective mutism is in fact very closely tied with anxiety around speaking. Consultant speech and language therapist Alison Wintgens says it is often poorly understood. It used to be thought that children like this were “refusing” to talk ? but it’s not a willful thing and nor is it shyness she explains. More it’s an inability to speak caused by anxiety. The vocal cords freeze up and no words can come out. Interestingly, despite the article publishing Ms Wintgens’ comments, the choice of headline (“The children choose to stay silent”) suggests continuing misunderstanding in the public eye.
Families of children with selective mutism often worry that their child will not be able to progress in life in comparison with their peers who are able to communicate. For one child described in the article, she is unable to convey when she is in pain/discomfort or when she needs the toilet, and has to use flashcards instead. Parents of older children worry that they cannot contribute at school, attend job interviews, develop friendships and relationships, or pursue their career of choice. Although more research is being conducted into selective mutism, it remains one of the less well-understood communication disorders.
If you think that your child may benefit from speech and language therapy or associated therapies, I.T.S could be of help. Contact us here:
https://integratedtreatmentservices.co.uk/contact-us/enquiry
Sarah Bennington, April 2012
Written on behalf of Integrated Treatment Services. I.T.S is a private Speech and Language Therapy service based in Leicestershire, East Midlands and Southern England. It specialises in providing highly-skilled Speech and Language Therapists, but also associates with other therapeutic professionals, including Occupational Therapists, Physiotherapists, Psychologists and Arts Psychotherapists.
