Selective Mutism - any advice?

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 Viktoria,

    Thank you for your reply but as I said they both attended SLT up to the age of 8 when they were signed off because there was nothing more that could be done by SLT. My son(S) are also 15 years old but the one who I suspect is selective mute was diagnosed with Auditory processing disorder first at Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital (We live in [Removed by moderator - Rule 3], Scotland) so yes I did plod on for a very long time because neither of them were diagnosed with Aspergers'/Autism until they were 12. Up here (Scotland) that is there are a group of professionals including a SLT, Ed Psych, Child psych, Paediatrician as well as an assortment of other professionals who make up the joint support team (JST) who make a formal diagnosis, having said this CAMHS misdiagnosed both my sons so I have VERY little faith in anything they have to say.

     My child's School and Ed Psych are still claiming that because he will answer questions that he is NOT selective mute and he was very clear about that so again I have extremely little - no faith in professionals these days. I am glad that you have had some answers although I am sorry they came about in such an extreme way. The route that your son took whatever way it was to land him in a psychiatric ward is the only way that my son will be seen by CAMHS so I will continue to plod on and give both my sons the support that they need without the help of CAMHS because they are useless.

    I hope your son gets better soon

    Jane

Reply
  • Hi Viktoria,

    Thank you for your reply but as I said they both attended SLT up to the age of 8 when they were signed off because there was nothing more that could be done by SLT. My son(S) are also 15 years old but the one who I suspect is selective mute was diagnosed with Auditory processing disorder first at Great Ormond Street Childrens Hospital (We live in [Removed by moderator - Rule 3], Scotland) so yes I did plod on for a very long time because neither of them were diagnosed with Aspergers'/Autism until they were 12. Up here (Scotland) that is there are a group of professionals including a SLT, Ed Psych, Child psych, Paediatrician as well as an assortment of other professionals who make up the joint support team (JST) who make a formal diagnosis, having said this CAMHS misdiagnosed both my sons so I have VERY little faith in anything they have to say.

     My child's School and Ed Psych are still claiming that because he will answer questions that he is NOT selective mute and he was very clear about that so again I have extremely little - no faith in professionals these days. I am glad that you have had some answers although I am sorry they came about in such an extreme way. The route that your son took whatever way it was to land him in a psychiatric ward is the only way that my son will be seen by CAMHS so I will continue to plod on and give both my sons the support that they need without the help of CAMHS because they are useless.

    I hope your son gets better soon

    Jane

Children
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