FAQ (page 3)

My child has selective mutism but has just started speaking to his teacher. Is it still worth pursuing treatment?
Selective mutism varies in severity. When a child’s selective mutism starts to resolve, there will often be some (often subtle) aspects of the child’s communication that need to be improved. These include their voice volume, moving from using a whisper to using their vocal chords, initiating speech rather than only speaking when prompted, increasing the length of their responses, being assertive, asking for help, joining in discussions, talking in front of larger groups, and generalising talking to other teachers and staff. Furthermore, children with a history of selective mutism have potential to regress in the future unless they are encouraged to communicate in all of the above situations to a level that produces minimal anxiety.

I teach a child whom I suspect has selective mutism. The parents feel it will just get better with time and are not keen to get treatment. Do you have any suggestions for what I can do?
Because children with selective mutism talk freely and normally at home, sometimes parents are not aware of the extent of their child’s difficulties with talking. Begin by giving the parents detailed information about how the child is communicating in your classroom. Express your concerns openly to the parents, provide reading material about selective mutism, and invite them to observe their child at school. Give information about the effects of the condition on the child’s social skills (e.g., difficulties building friendships or asserting themselves) and academic skills (e.g., not able to elaborate ideas, ask for help or complete oral tasks in the classroom). If over time the child’s condition does not improve naturally (or worsens), you can provide this feedback to the parents. You can also encourage the parents to speak to a psychologist about selective mutism and what is involved in treatment.

I am a teacher and am keen to help my student with selective mutism but I worry about finding the time to implement a program. What suggestions do you have?
Our treatment program is fairly intensive, as this is what is needed for selective mutism to resolve. We often invite principals/deputy principals and other support staff to accompany you during consultations with us, and we can assist with writing letters to support applications for funding. If the special needs teacher and/or school counsellor are also involved in consultations with the Clinic, this can provide you with additional support in terms of the day to day implementation. However, it is important to note that the classroom teacher needs to play a primary role in our school program or else it will be difficult to generalise any gains in the child’s communication over to the classroom setting.

I teach a child who talks to other children in my class but has never spoken to me. I can hear her chatting almost normally but she stops as soon as she sees me listening. Does this sound like selective mutism and what can I do to help the child eventually talk to me?
Children with selective mutism commonly feel less anxious talking with their peers than with adults. If the child is already speaking to some of their peers, this is a good sign. It is important that you make the classroom environment as relaxed as possible and build a good rapport with the child. Ensure that no consequences are placed on the child for not talking (by you or any ancillary teachers) as this will worsen the mutism. Also ensure that no-one is placing pressure on the child to talk, making comments about her lack of talking, or asking open-ended questions if she is unable to answer. Those strategies will give you a good start. However, in order for the selective mutism to resolve, the child, their family, and the school will need support from a mental health professional. The Selective Mutism Clinic provides ongoing training and support for classroom teachers to implement a program that gradually builds the child’s communication until they can eventually talk directly to the classroom teacher and in front of the whole class.

My child is in high school and has had selective mutism for many years. Will intervention make much difference at this age?
The Clinic has successfully treated adolescents with a long history of selective mutism using our intensive home- and school-based program. When selective mutism persists into adolescence, it is understandable that the young person and their parents can feel stuck, discouraged or helpless about whether the condition will improve. They have often tried various strategies and treatments that have largely been unsuccessful, and many families have also had a period of years without treatment where they have hoped that the condition would have resolved by itself. While treatment will take longer for older children, it is never too late to get help. Not only is it possible for the child to start communicating more freely with peers and adults but treatment can have enormous benefits in terms of enhancing the adolescent’s current and future quality of life, including vocational study and employment, living independently, and building friendships and intimate relationships.