Selective mutism, also known as elective mutism, is a rare psychological disorder in which the child can only communicate with people close to him, having difficulty talking to other children, teachers, or even family members.
The diagnosis of selective mutism is usually made from the age of 3 years, because from this age the child has already developed the ability of speech. Usually, the child can communicate very well with his parents, siblings and close cousins, however, he has difficulty talking to other people, as well as making eye contact and may be very anxious.
- It is important that selective mutism is identified and treated with the help of a psychologist and a psychiatrist.
- Since in this way it is possible to stimulate communication and avoid consequences.
- Since this condition may be linked to social isolation.
The child with selective mutism is able to communicate well in a family setting, but has difficulties in an environment with strangers, in which he feels his behavior is observed. Thus, some features that help identify selective mutism are:
Although more common in children, selective mutism can also be identified in adults and, in these cases, is called social phobia, in which the person feels quite anxious in normal everyday situations, such as eating in public. , for example, or when you are considering establishing a type of communication. Learn how to identify social phobia.
Selective mutism does not have a specific cause, but it can be triggered by certain situations, which may be related to a negative experience the child experienced as trauma, such as the loss of a close family member and violence, or family problems.
In addition, the development of this disorder may be related to genetic factors, as it is more common in children whose parents have emotional and/or behavioral disorders, or be related to personality traits of the child such as shame, excessive anxiety, fear and attachment. For example.
This situation may also be influenced by the onset of school life or the change of city or country, for example, as a result of a cultural shock. However, in these cases, it is important to observe the development of the child, since often the lack of communication is not due to selective mutism, but corresponds to a period of adaptation of the child to a new environment. Therefore, in order to be considered a mutism, it is necessary that the characteristics of this change be present before the change or last on average 1 month.
Selective treatment of mutism consists of psychotherapy sessions, in which the psychologist describes strategies that stimulate the child’s communication, as well as exploring techniques that evaluate their behavior. Thus, the psychologist manages to reassure the child in the environment to favor their communication.
In some cases, the psychologist may recommend that the child is also accompanied by a child psychiatrist or sessions with the family.
In addition, the psychologist advises parents to continue treatment at home, recommending to parents:
This way, your child may gain more confidence to communicate and may not feel so uncomfortable in strange environments.