What is selective mutism?
In short, selective mutism (SM) is a fear of the expectation to speak.
Selective mutism is where your body has a panic response when you try to speak, meaning you are unable to speak, even if you really want to.
It occurs in 'select' situations - while the panic response may occur in a situation such as at work or school, you will find it easier to talk in a different environment such as at home. Most commonly, people with SM are completely comfortable talking at home, but may struggle at school or in other settings.
To get a diagnosis of selective mutism you must 'fail to speak consistently in one or more settings, despite being able to speak comfortably in a different setting for more than one month'. Research shows that about 9.7% of autistic children have selective mutism at any one time.
But selective mutism is not just about talking…
Why does selective mutism include more than talking? (box on the side?)
Some people can speak in all situations, but they still have selective mutism - introducing low profile selective mutism
Key concepts:
Last Updated: 9th Feb 2023, 14:35