Selective Mutism

[bunnyhops]

I have been told by DS's SALT that he has selective mutism.He talks in the home but not outside the home ie in school and his speech classes.
He will talk outside when he is with me and DH.
He is 4 and has a severe phonological delay and attends reception every day.

Anyone else have any experience with selective mutism as I have read it is very rare.
Any information would be very helpful,thanks.xx

I don't but my mum is a SENCo and I know she had experience with this so i can ask her if you want. She's away for the weekend but I can ask her when she gets back.

There's another thread on this
see here

Hi bunnyhops - just posted on your other thread

I have a dd age 4 who is selectively mute. If you have any questions ask away!

Hi Wallace-Have posted reply on your thread,thanks.

Thanks Feistybird-just seen it.

Amynnixmum-That would be very helpful,thanks.

Bunnyhops

I spoke to my mum and she says the school basically took a softly softly approach with the little girl that they worked with. They didn't push her to speak but they still involved her in all the classroom activities.

Over a year she built up a relationship with one of the TAs. First they would work 1:1 just outside the classroom and then another child was introduced and she would work with them. After about a year she would whisper her answer to the friend she was working with and they then went on to place her in larger groups.

One of the ways that the TA got her to talk was by playing games which required her to speak. Guess Who was apparently the most successful of these games but they did have to work up to this slowly.

This girl left primary this year and at the leaving assembly she stood up in front of the whole school plus some parents and spoke about how grateful she was that my mum and others worked so hard with her

Mum says she has a book at school and some reports that might help. When she finds the reports I will scan them and email them to you if you want and I'll let you know what the book is called.

Good luck

Does he sing?

Just to give you a happy thought, the girl who was head of our School Council last year was selectively mute throughout reception and Year 1. The softly softly approach was used and she gradually came out of it.

Hi Bunnyhops

Unfortunately the book Mum has at school is copywrited and doesn't appear to be officially published, so she can't download any of it for you. It is called 'Breaking down the Barriers' -created by selective mute children'. It is written by Maggie Johnson and Anthony H Glassberg. It is a Structured treatment plan written for Speech and Language Therapists and teachers.

One book they recommand is 'Selective mutism in children', by Cline T and Baldwin S, published by Whurr Publishers. (1994) ISBN 1-870332-84-9

Other books/articles that have been recommended to her are:

Kolvin I, & Fundudis, T (1981) Elective Mute Children:psychological development and background factors - The Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry, 22, (3), 219-232.

Baldwin S and Cline T (1991) Helping children who are selectively mute- Educational and Child Psychology, 8 (3)

Sorry these are all a bit old. You can probably get much more up to date ideas from the net, but at least they might be a starting point.

Good luck with it all