Selective mutism

[Megwest5]

Hello Is there anyone else who's little who has or has had selective mutism? My dd is 4 and in reception, she currently cannot speak to her teachers, seems happy speaking with friends within the classroom. I'm worried this will effect her later on. Has anyone got any tips or stories to share of their child overcoming this??
Thank you

Nursery thought ds was selectively mute but turned out he couldn’t hear properly due to glue ear so avoided talking to people who found it hard to understand him ie teachers. Might be worth checking dd’s heariing?

She had her hearing checked about 2.5/3 and it was fine, she spoke to her school teachers for the first 3 weeks, but now doesn’t. Never spoke at nursery! Feel at bit lost

My ds had selective mutism. He didn’t talk at nursery or at school. My ds could not talk to the teacher or to his friends but he was fine out of school.

In reception he had a little recording device. Each evening at home he would record a question or something he wanted to tell the teacher and play to the teacher the next day. It was a slow process but there was no pressure at all put on him to talk.

Each year he got slightly more confident. He is six now and can talk completely freely to teacher and his friends

It sounds very positive that your dd can talk to her friends. Just don’t put any pressure on her and she will get there and when she does talk to the teacher don’t react and just act like it didn’t happen and it’s no big deal.

My DD was mute for the first six months of reception. She didn't talk to her teacher or peers at all and would completely freeze when anyone spoke to her. It was such a stressful thing to try to support her through so I really feel for you.

So tho my DD it helped when we talked it through at bed time and I said I understood and asked if sometimes the words "just get stuck". That seemed to strike a chord with her. The school had experience of this and invited me in for a meeting and set up a support plan around her. It involved a little one to one time with the class teacher each day (they tried other staff but my DD wouldn't accept them at all) doing things like puzzles as my DD would chose to stay in and do this with her teacher at break time instead of go out to play. They also brought in a children's yoga teacher which was amazing - my DD got to (secretly with nods to the teacher) select 3-5 classmates each week with whom she would like to do her yoga session. The yoga activities were designed around my DD and setting up pair and group activities aimed at helping her build relationships. Her teacher would make a point of having friendly chats with me in front of DD wherever possible so she became less scary for her. The school did so much and it make a tremendous difference. In her own time my DD came round and despite lock down and everything else she now talks freely and confidently to everyone in her class in year 1. So proud of her, I'm sure your LO will come round in their own time too but I'd def expect support from the school even with the current circumstances.