Does anyone have experience with Selective Mutism??

[6_Time_Momma]

If so, can you send me a PM?? THanks!

 

[worm761]

nothing for you but bumping back to the first page in hopes of advice for you.

 

[LurkerLisa]

Sorry, I've been a member forever, but I rarely post, and don't know what a PM is. However, I do have some information for you. A woman named Torey Hayden wrote several books about her teaching experiences with special needs kids and her speciality was elective mutism. Not sure about ant hard facts more about how she reached these kids. The books were written in the late '70s and early '80, so they might be out of print.

Lisa

 

[LisaTx]

I don't have any personal experience, but I did a google search for you. It looks like there are some very good sites on the subject.

Selective mutism

 

[BrerMom]

I did research on elective mutism in college. At that time, what you're describing wasn't elective mutism, just extremely shy maybe mixed with anxiety. Definitions change over the years, of course, so that may no longer be true.

At the time I was researching it (maybe 15 years ago), elective mutism wasn't mutism in select situations; these kids didn't talk AT ALL. Usually it was brought on by some trauma in their lives. Some kids are also shy and avoid eye-contact. Some participate in activities and are social, they just don't talk.

Didn't she just lose a sister? I seem to remember my mom saying I didn't talk for a while after my brother died, and I was in kindergarten, too. I turned out fine.

Ditto on the books by Torey Hayden. The books may at least give you some insight on how to help her at school.

 

[BrerMom]

Very cool! I found a link for the "Torey Hayden Discussion Forum":
http://www1.appstate.edu/~moormang/wwwboard/wwwboard.html