by C L Smith

Created on: July 05, 2009

Introduction

Selective Mutism is a disorder in which a person does not speak in at least one social setting but will speak in others. The disorder usually occurs in childhood before the child reaches five years of age. The disorder may also be referred to as Elective Mutism. Children with the disorder can display patterns of anxiety and social phobia in addition to predisposing factors such as excessive shyness.

The treatment of Selective Mutism is not a simple task. It is difficult for teachers, parents and professionals to understand why a child does not communicate in a school or social environment. This lack of understanding can quickly lead to frustration for all people involved including the child. The treatment of the disorder requires an understanding of the disorder in order to establish realistic goals.

Treatments for Selective Mutism

According to a number of web sites that have been created to offer support to those dealing with this disease, many different treatments are available for a child diagnosed with Selective Mutism. The treatments may be used alone or in combination depending on the needs of the individual child and the preferences of the family. In general, the therapies can be categorized as behavioral treatment programs, programs which focus on specific speech and language problems, psychological and psychiatric interventions, and classroom centered programs.

Behavioral Treatment Programs

Behavioral treatment programs for Elective Mutism may include Stimulus Fading techniques, Shaping Techniques, or Self-modeling Techniques.

Stimulus Fading refers to the creation of a relaxed setting in which the child first interacts with someone with whom they communicate freely and then subsequently introducing a new person to the environment with whom the child is less familiar.

Shaping is a controlled approach which focuses on the positive reinforcement of any and all efforts of the child to communicate. This technique supports the gestures, mouthing, or whispering of the child until audible speech is achieved.

The Self-modeling technique requires that the child view videotapes that were recorded while the child was conducting the desired behavior in an effort to provide the child the confidence that they can repeat the behavior in other settings that the mutism has occurred.

Specific Speech and Language Problem Treatments

The Speech and Language Problem Treatments for Selective Mutism identify issues that are compounding

• 1
• 2
• 3
• Next Page >>