My child is very shy, or is it SELECTIVE MUTISM?

Is your child very shy or is it more than shy, maybe SELECTIVE MUTISM? If your child is a completely different person at home than she is in other social settings, she may have selective mutism. Selective mutism is often misunderstood and can be misdiagnosed, but early detection and treatment are crucial to better outcomes down the road. Selective Mutism is an anxiety disorder described in the DSM5, that affects young children and teenagers and can last till adulthood if not treated. Who has selective mutism is NOT choosing to speak, but it is anxiety. I like to make videos on child anxiety and selective mutism to help parents and teachers understand the child's anxiety symptoms, or if a child is more than shy, what is the child fearful of. We help and support children with Selective Mutism and it is so important to use effective strategies to talk to your child about their anxieties. What if your child isn’t just shy? Selective mutism was always believed to be rare, however, more children may meet the criteria of a diagnosis than previously thought. Children who were thought to be “just shy” or “defiant” for not talking may actually meet the criteria for selective mutism. Many seemed to think that a child would “grow out of” the behavior, which is not always the case. What may appear as “just shyness” actually has its roots in anxiety, specifically an underlying fear of the expectation to talk, she says. Shy kids may not volunteer to read aloud to the class, but when they need to do things, they can. The main difference is that shy children function, whereas children with selective mutism cannot. What does selective mutism look like? A child with selective mutism may not communicate in select social settings (often school), but he or she can comfortably talk in at least one other place (typically home). Both girls and boys can be affected, though the condition tends to impact girls more than boys. The average age of onset is under age 5, but it is often more evident when a child enters a structured social setting (such as preschool or daycare). Children with selective mutism are overcome with anxiety at the prospect of giving a book report, saying hello to a classmate, or talking with their coach at soccer practice. So they’re rendered frozen and unable to initiate and/or respond. Because of this, their experience at school and in other social settings may be hindered, teachers may be unable to assess them and they may struggle socially. Selective mutism can look different depending on the child: Some children can only talk to their immediate family and no one else outside of the home, even extended family. Others may talk to relatives they see more regularly and not to those they do not know as well. Some may talk to other children but not to adults outside of their home. Others may talk to their teacher when it’s one on one, but freeze up in the larger group setting when others are within earshot. It’s important to understand that there’s much variability in how it appears — from day to day, from person to person, and from setting to setting. FREE PDF ON SELECTIVE MUTISM https://bit.ly/3cXKEJ4 SELECTIVE MUTISM COURSE: https://www.edinburgh-speech-therapy-... OTHER VIDEOS: STRATEGIES ON HOW TO DEAL WITH FEARS    • Strategies for dealing with fears   SELECTIVE MUTISM IS MORE THAN FEAR OF TALKING    • Selective Mutism is more than fear of talking   SELECTIVE MUTISM HOW CAN TEACHER PROMOTE COMMUNICATION    • selective mutism how can teachers promote ...   WHY IS IT SO IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND SELECTIVE MUTISM    • Understanding SELECTIVE MUTISM   COACHING.: I support both parents and therapists online, CONTACT ME https://www.edinburgh-speech-therapy-... FREE TRAINING. Have you been thinking of learning more about Selective Mutism? Let me be your guide! I'll show you the right steps   / mychildisscaredoftalking   Say hi on social: ⇨ INSTAGRAM:   / wordsteps_speech_therapy   ⇨ TWITTER: ‪   / annybiav   ⇨ FACEBOOK: ttps://www.facebook.com/groups/mychildisscaredoftalking ⇨ WEBSITE: https://www.edinburgh-speech-therapy-... ♡ I N F O ♡ A B O U T M E ♡ HELLO and welcome!! My name is Anna Biavati-Smith and I am a specialist speech and language therapist. I made this channel to share my passion for sharing language tips to help your child communicate outside your home, but doing so in a fun and relaxed way. ♡ Thank you for watching and PLEASE SUBSCRIBE if you are new!    • My child is very shy, or is it SELECTIVE M...   #selectivemutism #fearoftalking #anxiety #onlinecourse