Parent/Teacher Point of View

For my latest blog I thought who better to answer my questions than a parent of a child with Selective Mutism who is also a teacher and has had children with SM. We did a brief informal interview. I am not going to write word for word her responses, but I will give a good summary.

What would you say SM is?
- Social anxiety, children want to communicate but can't because of fear.

Does it effect the family?
- Parents - At first we wanted to talk for her. Always wanted to answer and speak for their child. It can cause anxiety and confusion on the parents. They want to push the child into talking, when they may just put more pressure on their child.
- Little brother - He brings her personality out.

What types of needs at school?
- A teacher who is understanding and doesn't push or baby the child. When sharing she has the option to share when comfortable. She is not on an IEP or 504 plan.

What are some symptoms you have seen?
- Took her awhile to get comfortable around extended family and was sitting off by herself and not talking at school.

What made you realize this might be something more than just being shy?
- She was always a shy child. She was unable to communicate in public situations. At dinner one night with family she ran out of the room crying because she didn't like having people watching her and it made her nervous. Also met with the speech pathologist at school and it was very helpful.

What is your view as a teacher?
- Be sure not to pressure or baby the student. Hard to gain full understanding of what is going on with student and realize what is too much and not enough.
(An example could be the teacher thinking the child is manipulating them by taking advantage of not talking and never doing it, when really they can't because of fear, not because they don't want to.)

Can you grow out of it?
- It is important to work with children as soon as possible and begin therapy. Studies have shown that children who don't get therapy make bad decisions later in life that they normally wouldn't make to release anxiety.

Reactions when you found out?
- It was a very long process of finding out. Relieved to have an answer. We just wanted to know what was going on so we could help.

Anything you would like to see changed in the school systems?
- More education for teachers on what Selective Mutism is. How to deal with it appropriately in the classroom and inform the rest of the students. Teacher's don't seem aware enough of all the details.

I thought this interview answered a lot of my questions and was very insightful. I am very thankful to have an amazing parent and teacher who was willing to share with me and the rest of you. She also shared a website of a doctor who specializes in SM that I can't wait to look at and hopefully do my next blog on!