How Do You Overcome Selective Mutism?
• Check to see if you, a friend, or loved one, meet(s) the criteria for having selective mutism:[3] • Consistent inability to speak at specific social situations (e.g. at school) where speaking is expected. • Ability to speak and interact normally at other situations. • The inability to speak under certain situation is having a negative impact on social and academic functions. • The symptoms lasts for longer than 1 month, excluding the first month of school (takes time to adjust to new environment). • The symptoms cannot be accounted for by unfamiliarity with the spoken language under the given social situation (i.e. a girl fluent in another language who knows very little English and remains quiet in situations where English is spoken does not have selective mutism!) • Other diagnoses must be ruled out. For example, autism also presents with repetitive behaviors, such as stacking cans repetitively, which is not seen in selective mutism. The symptoms cannot be accounted for by another d
