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Selective Mutism - any advice?

Pageant

Hello everyone,

My eight year old daughter is soon to be assessed for ASD and I expect there will be a diagnosis of ASD/Aspergers.

One of the most significant problems she faces is selective mutism.  She is terrified of talking to people she doesn't know well (i.e. everyone except parents, brother and one friend she made at her old school).  Even Grandma/Grandad have trouble getting her to speak, although she speaks freely with her immediate family.  Everything I've read suggests it's an anxiety response and she is extremely self-conscious in general.  With us though, she's a different girl - happy, funny and giggly a lot of the time.  She'll occasionally be like this with others, but it's fleeting and never seems to last.

Anyone got any ideas for how to help?  I've read a lot about selective mutism unrelated to autism, but the strategies there suggest something more of a pure phobia about speaking.  With my daughter, I think it's different - it's anxiety about social communication (not surprisingly)...  I'm worried it could get worse, but don't know how to stem the tide of any regression (mercifully, she just recently started talking to her childminder again who she goes to once a week, but I've been worried there's been a general regressive trend lately, aside from this).

Any ideas would be very welcome.  Autism-related literature on the subject is thin on the ground - or I'm looking in the wrong places....

Parents

  • Hi there, Fortunately, I got an email prompt that there was a new post. We had a recommendation from Great Ormond Street Hospital for a structured programme of intervention to be put in place for selective mutism.  Our statement has very specific wording on this to ensure it was a programme backed up by 1.5 hours speech therapy input from a suitably qualified/experienced SLT. We also have 30 hours weekly 1-1 teaching support from a LSA specified. We had to make a second application to the tribunal to get more specific wording for the SM intervention because of extreme (and ongoing) difficulty in getting LA or NHS to make proper provision. I'd be happy to share wording, but not quite sure how to exchange email details so I can send something - a moderator might tell us? For the second tribunal application, I got a report done by a speech therapist with autism and SM experience. That was invaluable But obviously expensive. I'd also suggest you contact IPSEA, a fantastic charity that provides legal support to parents - their website is a mine of information (I volunteer for them, so I'm biased...!). If you find out now to do the private messaging thing, do let me know - i'm Luddite when it comes to that sort of thing...

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  • Hi there, Fortunately, I got an email prompt that there was a new post. We had a recommendation from Great Ormond Street Hospital for a structured programme of intervention to be put in place for selective mutism.  Our statement has very specific wording on this to ensure it was a programme backed up by 1.5 hours speech therapy input from a suitably qualified/experienced SLT. We also have 30 hours weekly 1-1 teaching support from a LSA specified. We had to make a second application to the tribunal to get more specific wording for the SM intervention because of extreme (and ongoing) difficulty in getting LA or NHS to make proper provision. I'd be happy to share wording, but not quite sure how to exchange email details so I can send something - a moderator might tell us? For the second tribunal application, I got a report done by a speech therapist with autism and SM experience. That was invaluable But obviously expensive. I'd also suggest you contact IPSEA, a fantastic charity that provides legal support to parents - their website is a mine of information (I volunteer for them, so I'm biased...!). If you find out now to do the private messaging thing, do let me know - i'm Luddite when it comes to that sort of thing...

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