Selective mutism

[Icepickinyourheadofthepops]

Hi appreciate this is not the specific thread for special ed needs but in interests of catching anyone who can advise. DS age 5 can't talk above a hoarse whisper in school or in situations outside the family. I am trying to get some help beyond the speech/language lady as not sure their course of action will help beyond his classroom this year. Seems to be dependent on local health auth whether it's a clinical psych treatment offered with SLT or just the SLT.

Also has anyone got the name of an ed psych who specialises in this, in case we pay for a private consultation?

Have read widely and just keen to help DS ASAP as everything points to early intervention being crucial. Plus the associated behaviour ie worrying, sensitivity to background noise and sensitive, controlling at home are making life increasingly hard.

I have read loads by Maggie johnson who is a Kent based SLT and going in a course but feel local provision is a bit limp at the mo.

Bump not near a PC to repost in special needs at the mo. Bumping in case someone sees

Poor you and ds. It is very worrying. We have a family member with SM. She was eventually put on prozac, which worked really well. She now speaks normally at school. This took several years though, and she still won't speak to family other than her immediate family. It is a postcode lottery really. Have you been through CAMHS yet? I would imagine that to be the first step.
Good luck, and try not to show your stress about it to ds.

I know 2 kids in y7 & y8 with SM. To be honest, they have learnt to cope well even if they barely talk. One is academic high achiever & very sporty (has a boyfriend since y5, too). Other is very confident, very popular & very sporty (just quiet!).

Thanks for these thoughts, some useful info. My DS feels frustrated and at a plateau since managing to raise a hoarse whisper. The frustrations come out at home, a bit of a strain all round. Concerned that not all settings and people in will accept this as he gets older. And concerned about risky situations and him not feeling able to 'shout'. Had a few already.

Really keen to know if people are getting SLT and EP help from their local authorities. Am told I need SLT to do a report to psych / CAMHS in order for them to to consider. Yet don't think school and SLT want to put anything in writing. Great ormond street and other main centres treat SM as two pronged CAMHS and SLT but my SLT is really only informally advising class teacher. Not sure this helps beyond his classroom this year. It's not just an in school prob. Seems fairly unknown or untested in some areas, mine included.

To give you some hope though, my cousin has still never spoken to family, and never spoke at all in primary school. She is now y 9 and happy. She even does school plays!!!
She would never shout for help or cry if she fell over. But she survived and communicated by other means. She had a few good friends. The Prozac was a last resort, and I don't know if she still takes it or not. It worked a treat though!

Yes have been reading about Prozac.. Seems last resort in younger children. Just frustrating standards differ on postcodes, but hey that is the nhs

I have an 8 year old DD with SM. I will PM you.