Treatment for selective mutism

[admylin]

Has anyone had or started any treatment for selective mutism in dc?

Dd had it for a whole year when she was 4 at Kindergarten, she didn't say a word for a year even though she made friends and went back for optional sessions in afternoon.

I thought she'd more or less got over it but now she is 10 and I have heard from her new teacher that she is very quiet and doesn't join in (even though she tells me she does). The teachers are saying they don't know if she understands or knows the answers and that's why she isn't putting her hand up. They get an oral grade at her school too which makes up 50 to 60 percent of the final grade.

I'm thinking it's time to try and help her with some sort of treatment but not sure where to start. It's so hard to ignore, she just sat next to me and nodded or shook her head at the teacher and it comes across as so rude or even stupid and I know she can't do anything about it at that moment. She doesn't want to be like that. Other times she is great, has plenty of friends and is quite social.

My brother was treated for the same sort of thing. He just stopped talking. Some time later we were in family therapy for me, and the therapist said that these days they would suggest family therapy for my brother. This was over 20 years ago so things might have changed a bit, so it would be worthwhile talking to your gp about it. V. hard for everyone. I hope the situation improves for all of you soon.

Thanks, it's very hard when a situation arises and then some of the time she's fine.

Today she admitted she doesn't want to stay like this and will go to the gp with me. Up to now she's always said no, please no. But that is because speaking to a doctor is one of the things that she can't do. She can't even get a hello out of her mouth.