What Is Selective Mutism In Children?

The way we choose to treat our children when these episodes occur is not always right. Selective mutism can lead to stress and cause one to lose patience. But psychologists point out that it is actually a disease that must be treated to avoid complications. It can, if not addressed properly, worsen.

Specialists suggest that you seek professional care if you see the symptoms of it. Below we will tell you how selective mutism manifests itself and how you should act if your child shows signs of selective mutism.

Symptoms of selective mutism

Psychologists explain that selective mutism is not only manifested as isolated episodes where the child does not want to talk. There are also other signs that may indicate that your child is suffering from it.

The main symptoms are:

• Anxiety and stress in the presence of strangers or people they do not hang out with regularly

• They are mostly shy.
• Total inability or difficulty speaking in certain contexts, such as when at school, in the playground and in public places in general. But at home, the child can demonstrate the ability to talk and socialize with close friends and family members.

To determine if the disease is affecting your baby, you should study the baby for over a month to see if you see any of these signs. It is possible to confuse the symptoms if they only become apparent during the child’s first days at school or when they are introduced to a new environment.

It is normal for some children to act shy or reluctant to speak in certain situations. The real problem arises when the behavior is repeated and continues for a long time.

How to treat selective mutism

The key to helping children overcome selective mutism is how to act during these episodes. If you do not act with sufficient sensitivity, you can inadvertently cause psychological damage, because it is something they can not control.

To improve the situation, experts recommend the following steps.

• Balance your child’s social relationships, as stable relationships are a must. In this regard, it is appropriate for family and close friends to be aware of the problem, so that they can work together to overcome it.
• Join study groups, invite friends, and encourage your child to spend time with children their own age.
• A crucial factor in the solution is to strengthen the child’s self-esteem.
• Avoid overprotection, as it may limit the child’s self-confidence. Let your child do small tasks himself to help him or her trust his or her own abilities. In addition, the information will be something you can talk about.
  
  

More tips

• Showing openly that you appreciate your child’s abilities makes him or her more aware that others know about his or her qualities and that he or she is therefore respected.
• It is important to adapt the conversation between parents and children in these cases. Listen carefully so that your child has the confidence and interest to talk to you. Sometimes our children do not talk to us because they assume we do not notice them.
• Encourage your child when he or she communicates well. This is as important as when the child is not communicating. Avoid criticism when your child is not communicating. Remember that the goal is to encourage the child to express himself, not to seek perfection.
• Comparisons with siblings or other children are harmful. Let your child talk when he or she wants and not for your child to do what others do.

• Avoid putting labels on your child, such as “shy” or “quiet”, when he or she shows symptoms. Labels are as harmful as pressure and oppression.