Selective Mutism: Children who Won't Speak: A Summary

If your child or friend doesn't speak at school or other places, or you want to learn more about selective mutism, here is a five-minute summary of the disorder and treatment.

I am not selectively mute. I do not have a selectively mute child and am not an expert. All of this comes off the internet, but it took me a while to learn all this, so I put it together for you.

See more videos about selective mutism on my second channel, http://www.youtube.com/user/Helyna8

The main websites I use are the support group at http://www.selectivemutism.org, the SMart Center at http://www.selectivemutismcenter.org, and http://worrywisekids.org.

The images come from websites that show up on the first two pages of Google Images: http://lemurian-abbey.blogspot.com/2005/04/face-of-selective-mutism.html, http://www.squidoo.com/selective_mutism, and http://www.selectivemutism.org/news/PeopleMagazine_SMArticle_image1.jpg

I didn't make this video for my own fun. I hoped it would help someone figure out what selective mutism is or what's going on with that person who won't talk. So I hope this is being watched by more than the usual crowd of selectively mute video-watchers. Use it to explain to a teacher, friend, doctor, etc. I don't mind as long as you make it clear that you didn't create the video.

Music: Shes Given up Talking, Driving Rain, Paul McCartney. About the grandchild of one of his neighbors.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• selective
• mutism
• shyness
• silent
• mute
• shy
• child
• autism
• cognitive
• behavioral
• therapy
• social
• phobia
• communication
• anxiety
• disorder
• avoidant
• speak
• talk
• She's
• Given
• up
• Talking
• Paul
• McCartney

[CrissySnow]

I'm writing a horror story about a mute girl...and this helped me research

[Elemarth]

@CrissySnow I'm glad! Short story? Novel?

[CrissySnow]

@Elemarth It's a novel.

[Elemarth]

@CrissySnow Cool! I'm writing a novel, too, about a selectively mute girl (but not horror - I don't do horror). Good luck!

[braxy29]

love paul mccartney, great song. anyway, i'm sure someone else has already said this, but i have always heard of selective mutism in the context of austism spectrum disorders, not just social anxiety.

[Elemarth]

@braxy29 You're right, but I wasn't accepting that yet when I made this video, and if it's entirely due to autism, you can't diagnose it as SM.

[Elemarth]

@roberto3151991 A lot of things *sound* like BS that are entirely true.

[Elemarth]

@margarita141414 Well... that's why it's selective! Most people with it are really loud when they're comfortable. I'm glad she has good friends like you.

[TheEureka41]

@CrissySnow Hey I'm doing something similar but it's about a boy.

[citymouse40]

@roberto, BTW, this was my first post, before all the others.

[citymouse40]

@roberto3151991..at 9 he told me there was a block of ice in his throat with a tiny hole so he could breathe, blocking his words, that when he gets in the car it melts away. Kids with SM are suffering in silence, they are NOT choosing to be silent. Untreated, some kids become depressed, suicidal, drug users etc. It is a very real issue. Take the time to research it.selectivemutism . org Maybe you won't judge a child who you come across and is unable to speak to you,

[citymouse40]

@roberto3151991..but after all the years of dealing with people who do not understand or who are unwilling to understand, it pisses me off when people refuse to consider that Selective Mutism is a very real and very serious issue. Kids need help to overcome this, not being told what they feel is BS. At 6yrs old my son told me that his words were glued so tightly in his throat at school that there is no glue remover in the world that could help.