If anyone watching Holby City tonight saw the kid they claimed to have selective mutism actually didn't. The researchers didn't even approach any UK experts on this condition before making up the storyline. The kid in the program maybe would be better described as having Traumatic mutism. The cause of selective mutism is not usually abuse or trauma. The cause of traumatic mutism is:
What is the difference between Selective Mutism and traumatic mutism?
Children who suffer from SM speak in at least one setting (usually home) and are rarely mute in all settings. Most have inhibited temperaments and show social anxiety. For children with SM, their mutism is a means of avoiding the anxious feelings elicited by expectation to talk and social encounters. They are usually not in control of their mutism, but it has become a reaction over time. They would like to talk, but find themselves unable to.
It is important to understand that some children with SM may start out with mutism in pre-school, or school and other social settings. Due to negative responses to their mutism, misunderstandings from those around them and perhaps heightened stress within their environment, they may develop mutism in all settings, other than at home. They may also have difficulty talking with certain family members, such as uncles and grandparents, and in some cases even their fathers. This may be due to particular ways that these adults respond to the children when they are silent. They may appear ?scary and unpredictable? to the children because they are loud, ask lots of questions, don?t give the children enough time to respond, are unsympathetic, show frustration and annoyance or possibly tease the children. This can be a gradual process, or a reaction to a change of circumstances, such as starting school.
Children with traumatic mutism usually develop mutism suddenly in ALL situations. An example would be a child who witnesses the death of a grandparent or other traumatic event, is unable to make sense of what has happened and becomes mute in all settings.