Where can I get help for selective mutism?
It’s also important to get help if your child’s selective mutism is affecting their learning at school and their ability to socialise and make friends. You can get help from: your child’s GP or paediatrician – these professionals can refer you to a psychologist or psychiatrist.
What is the best therapy for selective mutism?
Behavioral strategies and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) are the most widely supported therapeutic treatments for selective mutism. Using a wide variety of strategies aimed at reducing the anxiety beneath the behavior, these therapeutic interventions help kids learn to gradually engage in more speaking behaviors.
Can selective mutism be cured?
Experts don’t know how many children with selective mutism will grow out of the disorder. But what we do know is that treating it becomes much harder the older a child is, so it is extremely important not to put off treatment.
Do selective mutes talk?
A child or adult with selective mutism does not refuse or choose not to speak at certain times, they’re literally unable to speak. The expectation to talk to certain people triggers a freeze response with feelings of panic, like a bad case of stage fright, and talking is impossible.
How do you beat selective mutism?
Among the most effective methods of treating symptoms of selective mutism is CBT. This action-based and problem-solving talking therapy is carried out by highly trained therapists, where you or your older child can benefit from further understanding of the disorder and anxiety in general.
Is selective mutism neurological?
The neurological basis for selective mutism is thought to be a cascade of events in an area of the brain known as the amygdala, which receives danger signals from the environment. The anxiety from a situation perceived as dangerous to the child’s well-being causes a communication shutdown.
Can adults suffer from selective mutism?
Selective mutism is a severe anxiety disorder that affects both children and adults. It is believed that one in 150* children are affected and it is more common in girls that in boys.
Is selective mutism rare?
Selective mutism is a rare psychiatric condition primarily occurring during childhood. It is characterized by the failure to speak in certain social situations. The ability to speak and understand spoken language is not impaired, and may be exhibited in more familiar environments.
Is it possible to get help for selective mutism?
You don’t have to struggle with a mental health condition – help is available. A severe and complex anxiety disorder, selective mutism relates to a child or adult who feels unable to speak in specific social situations, including with relatives that they rarely see, or peers at school or work that they may not know as well as others.
Is there a priory hospital for selective mutism?
Priory understands that selective mutism can be debilitating for either yourself or your child, which is why our nationwide network of hospitals and wellbeing centres are able to offer specialist therapeutic care across all age groups.
How is selective mutism related to stage fright?
Selective mutism is a severe anxiety disorder whereby a person is physically unable to speak in certain social situations due to the intensity of panic and anxiety symptoms, similar to extreme examples of stage fright, where it feels like your body is ‘frozen’ in motion.
Where does selective mutism appear in the DSM 5?
Selective mutism is in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders: Fifth Edition, or DSM-5. Doctors and others use the DSM-5 to help diagnose social and mental problems.