My daughter is 5.5 years old. He has been going to kindergarten for three years. In September, the tutor said that the daughter did not speak at all, at home when she asked why she did not want to talk, she replied that she was afraid of new children. In February, the psychiatrist diagnosed selective mutism, and my daughter started therapy, it was correct, but at the beginning of June the tutor was not there and she was replaced by another lady for a week. After this incident, my daughter stopped talking completely, even to me. When she accidentally said a sentence to me, she started crying and hitting her face. What to do?
Selective or selective mutism manifests itself in the fact that the child does not speak outside the home or with people not belonging to the immediate family. The real reasons for not speaking are purely psychological. They result from experienced fear or other feelings that are difficult for the child. To diagnose mutism, a thorough psychological and somatic diagnosis of the child must be made.
It is necessary to exclude hearing problems and neurological speech disorders. The silence of a child with selective mutism is not caused by severe speech difficulties, stuttering, or autism. Such a child can also be talkative and noisy, but in the environment of his choice. Most often it is a family.
It is also important to remember that the lack of speech is not due to the child's waywardness, lack of obedience or impudence. This problem is more related to anxiety disorders and phobias of speaking. Speaking is a great stress for them, so the child defends himself against it by using various gestures. Nevertheless, children with selective mutism are not loners, they want to be accepted by their peers, they want to be liked and appreciated. It must be remembered that a child with selective mutism will have resistance in group activities, especially when he will have to meet new people. Such a child may seem to be beyond emotions, avoid eye contact, stand still.
Mutism becomes permanent, if a child does not receive professional therapy as soon as possible, it will take root in him. The sooner the therapy is started, the better it is for the child, it should not be interrupted. In my opinion, you should resume therapy with a child psychologist as soon as possible and conduct it systematically and consistently. One-time visit orconsultation will not help and will not bring the expected results. Behavioral therapy techniques, e.g. gradual preparation of the child to speak in a larger group, bring effects in the treatment of selective mutism. In the treatment of selective mutism in children, two methods of interaction are used: focused on the elimination of symptoms or the elimination of unfavorable environmental factors.
Remember that our expert's answer is informative and will not replace a visit to the doctor.
Ewa GuzowskaEwa Guzowska - educator, addiction therapist, lecturer at GWSH in Gdańsk. A graduate of the Pedagogical Academy in Krakow (social and care pedagogy) and postgraduate studies in therapy and diagnosis of children and adolescents with developmental disorders. She worked as a school educator and addiction therapist in a drug addiction center. He conducts numerous trainings in the field of interpersonal communication.
More advice from this expert
Teenager rebellion. How to deal with strange child behavior? [Expert advice]Constant fatigue, apathy, isolation from people [Expert advice]Diagnosis of a child with intellectual disability [Expert's advice]The child beats his head and cries [Expert's tip]The child repeats ugly words: what can we do? [Expert advice]How can I become a kindergarten teacher? [Expert advice]How is a teen to tell her parents about her pregnancy? [Expert advice]How to give medications to a person with dementia? [Expert advice]How to start autism therapy? [Expert advice]How can separation from a parent affect a baby? [Expert advice]How to deal with a difficult relationship with a partner? [Expert advice]How to encourage a child to read freely? [Expert advice]9-year-old fear of sleeping alone [Expert's advice]Teenager: what does it mean and where did sleeping with mom come from? [Expert advice]Teenager has a math problem: where to go? [Expert advice]Teenager does what she wants: how to deal with it? [Expert advice]Teen: bouts of aggression, depression, elevated mood [Expert advice] Teenage Girls: Exercise, He althy Eating, and Arresting Menstruation [Expert Advice]The habit of sucking the tongue while sleeping. How to unlearn a child? [Expert advice]An infant bends his ear while sleeping [Expert's tip]Nobody will interfere with the upbringing of my child….Symptoms of autism in a 2-year-old child [Expert's advice]Learning problems in a child in elementary school [Expert's advice]Adoption of a child. How to talk to a born child? [Expert advice]Where do dreams about ex-partners come from? [Expert advice]Anxiety in a child [Expert's advice]School: 6-year-olds without an educator [Expert's tip]Addiction toamphetamines: how can I help a friend? [Expert advice]Vision defect and exemption from PE [Expert's advice]Grandson is addicted to computer games - what to do? [Expert advice]