Selective Mutism

Selective Mutism (SM) is a complex childhood anxiety disorder characterized by a child’s inability to speak and communicate comfortably in select social settings, such as school. These children are able to talk quite normally in settings where they are comfortable, secure and relaxed. (Shipon-Blum, 2004) For these children, there is an underlying social phobia or anxiety that causes an extreme fear response in certain social settings. They can look frozen or motionless and literally become unable to speak due to their heightened levels of fear. Much misunderstanding exists regarding this disorder, with many professions incorrectly attributing the lack of speaking to willful behavior or as a mark of abuse.