Ask Dr. E: How do I know if medication is or isn’t the best answer?

I am a grandmother of a teen struggling with SM. No close friends other than her siblings and no interaction at school.

How do I know if medication is or isn’t the best answer for them?Hell

“In addition to the school, we want to create opportunities within the community, perhaps having her sibling or siblings join in areas of interest. Remember, comfort precedes communication and progress doesn’t happen in a group. With areas of interest perhaps the individual will connect with others.

A key aspect here is skill building. A lot of teens can speak. They may not be initiative elaborative, conversational. They lack conversation starters, expanders, et cetera. And that stems from years of not doing this. So these are areas that need to be worked on in therapy. Too often we think use medication and all of a sudden anxiety is lowered and the child, or in this case, the team will just begin to speak.

What I’ve learned over the course of my career is skill building is critical because they lack the skills often because of the years of not doing it. So although they’re comfortable at home and may have skills, it’s out and about within the community, within the school, connecting with others has actually been lost in a lot of ways to the level that really affects them socially, emotionally, and perhaps reaching their academic potential.

So, is medication the quick fix here? Absolutely not. Could it be an adjunct in the treatment of this teen? Absolutely. But I would not wanna make that recommendation without knowing this teen and working closely with the family, and particularly the teen, to help build the coping skills, learn the strategies, and begin navigating the social communication world in a confident way where we’re not pushing, but we’re working closely with the team through goal-setting and step-by-step.” – Dr. E

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Elisa Shipon-Blum DO2024-02-01T12:55:15-05:00August 1st, 2023|Comments Off

About the Author: Elisa Shipon-Blum DO

Elisa Shipon-Blum DO, is the President and Director of the Selective Mutism Anxiety and Related Disorders Treatment Center (SMart Center) located in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania. She is the Founder and Director Emeritus of the Selective Mutism Association (SMA) and a Director of the Selective Mutism Research Institute (SMRI), a foundation established to study Dr. Shipon-Blum’s theories and treatment methodologies on Selective Mutism. In addition, Dr Shipon-Blum is Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychology & Family Medicine at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. She is a board certified physician who specializes in Selective Mutism. Dr. Shipon-Blum practices in Jenkintown, PA, and has developed the evidenced-based Social Communication Anxiety Treatment (S-CAT)® from her years studying and researching individuals with Selective Mutism. She consults worldwide with families, treating professionals, and educators, and has helped thousands of children from around the world overcome Selective Mutism. Based on her successful S-CAT® program, Dr. E also created CommuniCamp™, an intensive group treatment program for children with Selective Mutism, social anxiety, and extreme shyness. Dr. Shipon-Blum lectures throughout the country on the topic of Selective Mutism, performs school evaluations and training for treating professionals, educators, and parents, and is considered one of the world’s leading experts in the treatment, research, and understanding of Selective Mutism. She has been a featured expert on national television programs such as 20/20, CNN, Inside Edition, and Good Morning America, as well as other local, national, and international television and radio broadcasts. In addition, she has been featured in TIME Magazine, People Magazine, and has interviewed with newspapers such as the New York Times, Chicago Tribune, Boston Globe, San Diego Tribune, Philadelphia Inquirer, and Palm Beach Post. Dr. Shipon-Blum is presently involved in multiple collaborative research projects with top researchers and clinicians. In addition to her research she has written numerous articles and books on Selective Mutism and anxiety including ‘Easing School Jitters for the Selectively Mute Child,’ ‘The Ideal Classroom Setting for the Selectively Mute Child,’ ‘Understanding Katie,’ ‘Supplement Treatment Guide Book to Understanding Katie‘, ‘Selective Mutism Summer Vacation & Back to School Guide‘ and ‘ Selective Mutism and Social Anxiety Disorder in School .’ She has also produced numerous DVDs on the topics of treatment and assessment of Selective Mutism, and the development of school accommodations and interventions for mute children. Dr. Shipon-Blum (or Dr. E as her patients refer to her) prides herself on being ‘down to earth’ and ‘easy to speak to’, and resides with her family in the northeast suburbs of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Notably, she is also the mother of a child, Sophie, who suffered from and overcame Selective Mutism and is the inspiration for the work she does each day.