“Selective Mutism is a social-communication anxiety disorder which is due to a variety of predisposing, precipitating
and maintaining factors.

Social communication anxiety changes from setting to setting/person to person and renders a child ‘speechless.’ Without treatment, mutism becomes learned/conditioned and a child becomes more withdrawn and isolated.

Treatment needs to focus on a “WHOLE” child and TEAM approach that involves child, parents, school and treating professional. 

Key to treatment involves:
(1) Addressing the predisposing/precipitating/maintaining factors of Selective Mutism
(2) Parent Education to --rid pressure to speak  --rid parent enabling  -- encourage social communication based on child’s level of comfort. Implement ‘understanding,’ consistency, routine and structure at HOME.
(3) School Education for personnel teaching working with the child and School based accommodations/interventions.
(4) Child Education and Therapy to help him/her  --understand and assess anxiety'  --unlearn conditioned/learned behaviors, --develop long term coping skills to combat anxious feelings  --to feel comfortable socializing which will allow  progression of communication in ALL settings."