Selective Mutism

[Steph_D]

My daughter suffers from a social anxiety disorder called Selective Mutism. Her anxiety prevents her from speaking in social settings or even to her father.

If anyone has children with this problem, I'd like to hear from you. You can read about this at selectivemutism . org (remove spaces). I'd like to find more Christians to discuss this with.

Thank you all and God Bless,
Steph

 

[ElizabethanLady]

I honestly have never heard of this before.

Hope you find a way to help your girl.

 

[Lena75]

Our son is not selectively mute, though we thought he was at first because of his severe speech delay. He's autistic. I've found one of the MSN message boards to be very helpful when discussing odd behaviours and such.
Good luck!

 

[E-beth]

I have had selective mutism kids in my pre-school class. I also have social anxiety. So I can kinda see both sides of the fence. I had a little boy last year that did not say one word in my classroom. he nodded and shook hi shead, but when I asked him something or another kid asked him something, he would hang his head down and not answer. But at home his mom said he played school all the time and always blessed me in his prayers. He slept with a beanie baby I gave him for Christmas under his pillow and he named it after me. But at school...zip.

I feel so bad for these kids because I feel how tortured they are. I know how it feels to want so bad to say something, but having the words get stuck in my brain.

I saw a great video once from the social anxiety messageboard called "Afraid of People." It followed six people through their days and struggles with SA. One of them was a selective mute girl in elementary school. I forget how they treated her, but at the end she had a best friend and was chatting in small groups. If you are interested, I can hunt it down for you.

 

[Crofter]

Steph_D... I wouldn't worry too much about this.... it is a trend these dsays to give these types of kids a label... and sometimes that helps to understand them better and sometimes it focuses on their difficulties too much and magnifies the situation...

In the past all these kids were called shy... and being shy was a normal part of being a child... and it still is... but we call it different things.

Me... I never spoke until I was over three years old... not one sound... not even 'da da' or 'ma ma'... I never spoke in infant school and almost never in Junior school... and mostly I played on my own. I was called 'quiet' or 'shy' or even 'introverted'... but asperger syndrome, dispraxia and selective mutism etc... simply hadn't been invented and actually wouldn't fit me as an adult cos now I talk too much. I didn't talk because I didn't want to... I didn't see the need... and I didn't want to talk until I had something worth saying... and I wish my mum had lived long enough for me to have been able to explain that to here cos I know she had been quite worried. I think thst were I a kid now I would have been given some syndrome to tie my flag to.



Now with all children we praise what they can do and enjoy their company and play with them and do activities with them and encourage all aspects of their lives.... and we see the aspects of life they don't thrive so much in and look at different ways these areas can be developed in them... to try to make these 'blocks' they might have less dauntinhg and more managable to them.... and this is why we now give these labels...simply to make it easier for those working with our children identify more easily these areas which need more support.

My daughter is a touch autistic and professional intervention over the years has given us a lot of stress and worry... but we all pushed through and now my child sometimes talks to me and is more relaxed... and I wonder why the professionals didn't leave well alone and just wait patiently for her to flower...

... sorry I can't be of more help... God bless.

 

[herev]

My cousing has a daughter who has the condition. She is around 6 now and I have never heard her speak. Therapy seems to be helping and the family is very loving and patient with her. My prayers are with you.

 

[Blindfaith316]

Steph_D... I wouldn't worry too much about this.... it is a trend these dsays to give these types of kids a label... and sometimes that helps to understand them better and sometimes it focuses on their difficulties too much and magnifies the situation...

In the past all these kids were called shy... and being shy was a normal part of being a child... and it still is... but we call it different things.

Me... I never spoke until I was over three years old... not one sound... not even 'da da' or 'ma ma'... I never spoke in infant school and almost never in Junior school... and mostly I played on my own. I was called 'quiet' or 'shy' or even 'introverted'... but asperger syndrome, dispraxia and selective mutism etc... simply hadn't been invented and actually wouldn't fit me as an adult cos now I talk too much. I didn't talk because I didn't want to... I didn't see the need... and I didn't want to talk until I had something worth saying... and I wish my mum had lived long enough for me to have been able to explain that to here cos I know she had been quite worried. I think thst were I a kid now I would have been given some syndrome to tie my flag to.



Now with all children we praise what they can do and enjoy their company and play with them and do activities with them and encourage all aspects of their lives.... and we see the aspects of life they don't thrive so much in and look at different ways these areas can be developed in them... to try to make these 'blocks' they might have less dauntinhg and more managable to them.... and this is why we now give these labels...simply to make it easier for those working with our children identify more easily these areas which need more support.

My daughter is a touch autistic and professional intervention over the years has given us a lot of stress and worry... but we all pushed through and now my child sometimes talks to me and is more relaxed... and I wonder why the professionals didn't leave well alone and just wait patiently for her to flower...

... sorry I can't be of more help... God bless.

I agree. My son didnt speak words until he was 3, and fortunately, my pediatrician just called him a "late-bloomer" (he's only been 3 for less than a month and now he wont shush up!)

I am praying for you, but do try not to label her, she may just outgrow this with prayers.