Selective Mutism - a childhood anxiety disorder

Selective Mutism - a childhood anxiety disorder

This article relates to December

Isabelle is not diagnosed in December but were she to be, she would probably be diagnosed with Selective Mutism, a childhood anxiety disorder. Some therapists might even diagnose her with Traumatic Mutism because of the immediate onset and her total silence. Most children with SM are not completely silent all the time. They are silent as a result of deep anxiety, but will talk normally when they are in 'safe' environments. Isabelle would be a rare case because she is completely silent for nine months.

Children with SM often have "severely inhibited temperaments" and are more prone to anxiety. When we become stressed, the amygdala (the brain's "emergency manager") responds to the potential crisis by overriding thought and instigating a reaction intended to protect the body. In children with SM, that reaction is silence. Fearful situations can be birthday parties, school, family gatherings, or routine errands. Many children with SM also have Sensory Integration Dysfunction (SID), which means they have trouble processing sensory information. A child with SID may have trouble comprehending social cues, which can lead to anxiety and fear and, in some cases, silence.

Selective Mutism is treated using a variety of tactics: Behavioral therapy, play therapy, medication, self-esteem boosters (parents should emphasize their child's positive attributes), frequent socialization, school involvement, and family involvement. The ultimate goals being to decrease anxiety, and increase social confidence and self-esteem. As the child feels more comfortable and self-esteem builds, he/she should progress from nonverbal to verbal communications.

More information at the Selective Mutism Foundation.

Filed under Medicine, Science and Tech

This "beyond the book article" relates to December. It originally ran in June 2008 and has been updated for the July 2009 paperback edition. Go to magazine.