4 Tips for Back to School

As we approach the start of another school year, we have put together a comprehensive guide for parents to support their children with Selective Mutism as they transition back into the school environment. The strategies focus on gradually exposing the child to school-related activities, classmates, and teachers while aiming to reduce anxiety and promote comfort.

Below are a few tips and strategies to consider heading into the new school year:

Contact the School:

Educate school personnel about SM and your child’s needs.
Advocate for your child’s needs and educate teachers about SM using resources from SMG~CAN.
Participate in the teacher selection process and request a nurturing, understanding teacher.
Discuss necessary accommodations for your child based on their anxiety level.

Prepare for School:

Determine your child’s teacher, classmates’ names, and classroom location.
Encourage play dates with classmates before school starts.
Spend time on school grounds to familiarize your child with the environment.
Introduce classmates gradually to help your child build social comfort.

Social Comfort Building:

Gradually expose your child to new classmates one at a time.
Encourage verbalization and interaction during activities.
Practice school-related activities such as using the bathroom and eating in the classroom.
Meet the teacher beforehand in comfortable settings.
Discuss daily routines and practice school-related activities with your child.

Bus Ride Preparation:

Help your child get accustomed to taking the bus.
Arrange for them to sit with a friend or near the driver.
Inform the bus driver about your child’s SM and anxiety.
Provide positive reinforcement and support during bus rides.

Addressing Anxiety:

The provided strategies aim to alleviate anxiety, not enable it.
The goal is to help children adjust to school with confidence and reduced anxiety.

The start of school can be scary and nerve wracking for many children. For our anxious SM children, the start of the school year can be even scarier. Finding ways to each into school with the ultimate goal of relieving anxiety will help our children adjust to the start of the new school year with comfort, confidence and lowered anxiety.

Additional Back-to-School Resources

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Elisa Shipon-Blum DO2024-12-12T09:17:08-05:00August 16th, 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.