Mutism - a breakdown

Mutism is a type of anxiety disorder that causes a child or adult to be unable to communicate verbally in certain situations.

We can divide mutism into:

Total mutism - we refer to this when a person stops communicating with anyone, regardless of the situation they are in. This happens especially after stressful events, such as divorce or the death of a loved one.
Selective mutism - is a type of anxiety disorder that is not caused by traumatic experiences. It is a disorder that causes a child to stop speaking in certain situations or places - for example, during daycare or school. The environment therefore plays an important role in influencing the child's behaviour.

Causes causing mutism

To date, no specific causes of mutism have been identified. However, there are predisposing factors such as language disorders, anxiety, hypersensitivity, shyness or mental illness that may have run in the family. There are also triggers for mutism, such as family problems, parental separation, frequent moves, starting kindergarten, bullying from peers.

The characteristics of selective mutism are:

problems making eye contact,
anxiety of the child when they have to say something,
hypersensitivity to other environmental stimuli

How mutism is diagnosed

Thefirst signals may come from teachers who may observe problems with the child's communication with peers. Never underestimate such signals - they should always be verified. Sometimes, however, it is the parents who are the first to notice their child's problems - anxiety, nervousness in certain situations, problems with articulation.

A diagnosis of mutism can be made by a psychiatrist. Parents concerned about their child's behaviour may first go to a psychological-educational counselling centre or other counselling centre where there is access to meetings with a psychologist. Of course, parents can skip the step of visiting the psychological-educational clinic and go directly to the psychiatrist. The psychiatrist will conduct a detailed interview with the parent and ask about difficulties and worrying symptoms. Remember that if you have an opinion from a school or kindergarten, an opinion from a psychologist/ speech therapist or an educationalist - it is worth showing these to the psychiatrist.

After the diagnosis has been made, the parent will receive a medical certificate for the purposes of the assessment team at the counselling centre with information about the need to implement early development support for pre-school children and/or special education and a medical certificate for the purposes of the disability assessment team.

Therapies

Each child should be treated individually - there is no clear-cut formula that will tell us how to proceed, what to do, in order to achieve the desired results. What is crucial is the therapist's time and approach to our child. When looking for a good therapist, you can contact associations that are dedicated to helping children diagnosed with mutism and their families. Remember - Mutism is no shame! Therapy with trusted, qualified therapists brings positive, expected results. Give time - to yourself and your child.

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What is mutism?

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