Treatment Options For Selective Mutism

Therapy With An Understanding Psychiatrist

The first trip to a doctor should be to the child’s pediatrician who will check for developmental issues or speech problems. The physician should then provide a referral to a psychiatrist or psychologist who treats selective mutism. Treatment with an understanding psychiatrist who has experience in this specific condition is crucial for the best results.

The most common treatment these psychiatrists use is behavioral therapy. The goal is to gradually lower the child's anxiety. At first, they are asked to complete simple verbal and are rewarded with either praise or small gifts. Gradually, the child is given slightly harder tasks with rewards. As the difficulty rises, the child's anxiety should diminish as success increases. Eventually, the child will respond when spoken to. Medication can be given to a child making very slow progress, but therapy should come first, and the child should not stay on medications too long.

Teens who have not been treated previously are more difficult to deal with because they have learned ways of avoiding stressful situations. They also may have developed depression and generalized anxiety, which will require treatment for as well, and medications may come into play more significantly here, along with social skills building.

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Praise All Accomplishments

As mentioned briefly before, the parents of a child with selective mutism should praise all accomplishments no matter how small. Parents can ask questions at home to encourage self-expression. Start off with choice questions, then gradually work up to open-ended questions. Praise all along the way.

If the child is mute around strangers, have an adult acquaintance visit one day, and have the visitor sit away from the child at first. Keep the child busy and gradually move the adult closer and closer. While preoccupied, have the adult speak softly to one of the parents and then the child. Encourage and praise the child. Some rewards can be a special day trip, more play time with a parent or friend, or special privileges like staying up later.

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