Anxiety Support Group

Anxiety is a physical condition marked by intense and persistent feelings of distress, fear, angst or dread. General anxiety caused by routine day-to-day stresses usually passes quickly and is experienced by almost everyone at one time or another. However, such feelings that linger over time and are very difficult to cope with, and which lack a clear cause, may indicate...

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select mutism in a child

alecsnana23
alecsnana23
I just found out that my youngest granddaughter is believed to have selective mutism. Although she talks to family and friends, at school she speaks through other kids--she is 11 and has done this for three years. She saw a therapist for another issue and the therapist never brought this up--now my daughter has to start the search for a child psychiatrist as this is starting to affect her grades as she won't ask the teacher for help if she needs it. She does have friends and is academically gifted and no one has said anything was "off" about her behavior except her saxophone teacher.

Can anyone tell me what her outcome might be? Do they give 11 year old pre-puberty girls medication? Will this probably follow her into adolescence?
Edger
Edger
Why don't you look at Anxiety Disorders in Children. Support group.
You might get an answer there.
kaylee79
kaylee79
I can tell you it's not a speech-language issue, so if they try to get her to see the school speech pathologist, please advocate for her to get proper care. (I'm an SLP, so this is a sensitive issue for me. I can't stand when SM students get put on an SLP caseload; it's not a communication disorder, it is an emotional / behavioral health issue and should be treated by somebody trained in behavioral health issues like a psychologist.)

I have known several SM students and for most of them, they grow out of it and are dismissed from eligibility (the eligibility is called "emotional disturbance"). If she is found eligible, it means her disorder is impacting her academically, and it sounds like it is since she won't ask for help. She will be able to go to the learning center teacher and get specialized instruction in an environment in which she feels safe talking. Many schools also have mental health consultants who can help; refer out for treatment, etc, so also look into this.

I believe she will be fine with proper therapy (in or out of school setting) and appropriate special education eligibility in the school setting.
kaylee79
kaylee79
Oh, I just wanted to add I know the term "emotional disturbance" sounds terrible; it's really not, though, it just is an icky term for various sorts of mental health issues that may be impacting a student academically; interfering with their ability to be successful in the school environment.