At Wisdom Within Counseling, your child can have the support of a selective mutism therapist to help them overcome anxiety.
Sometimes however, children can develop selective mutism. Parents may blame themselves if their child has selective mutism. It is important to get the help of a selective mutism therapist to remove all blame. Parents can learn to communicate with their child who has selective mutism in ways beyond words. As a parent, you may be wondering why your child suddenly stopped speaking. Has your child developed selective mutism in social settings? This can be an alarming issue for parents to deal with However, the team of selective mutism therapists at Wisdom Within Counseling can help. For parents, having a child with selective mutism can being feelings of fear, anxiety, concern, frustration or powerlessness.
So, what does it mean when your child won’t speak?
To begin, click the button below for a phone consult to work with a selective mutism therapist at Wisdom Within Counseling.
How can working with a selective mutism therapist help?
Selective mutism is a disorder that holds its roots in anxiety. Children become socially anxious. So, this anxiety causes them to lose their ability to communicate effectively in social situations. Some children may still feel that they are able to communicate where they feel comfortable. Being home with family may be a safe place for a child with selective mutism.
The severity of the mutism depends on the child.
Some children may not speak at all in social situations, while some may be able to speak very few words or phrases.
Some children may even be so fearful in social situations that they physically freeze. Working with a holistic, creative selective mutism therapist can help this freeze response. Sometimes, children with selective mutism will stand in one spot without moving. Essentially, this is a sign of fear in the body. They may refuse to make eye contact, cling to their parents, or come off as rude to others. Many times, these behaviors are due to their anxiety. The severity of selective mutism will depend on the child and their personal anxiety level. Having regular appointments with a selective mutism therapist at Wisdom Within Counseling helps children build confidence.
Does having a child with selective mutism challenge a marriage?
Yes, it can. Selective mutism can cause a strain on a parental relationship. It can create conflict between parents as to how to communicate with a child who won’t speak. Blame may be tossed around. As a parent, don’t forget to take care of yourself and your marital relationship. If you have different parenting styles, family therapy sessions at Wisdom Within Counseling can help. You can feel a sense of togetherness in order to help your child with selective mutism. If you are facing marital problems, be sure to look into assistance by checking into marriage therapy at Wisdom Within Counseling to get you back on track.
To begin, click the button below to book a phone consult to work with a creative selective mutism therapist at Wisdom Within.
The Difference Between Being Shy and Selective Mutism
At first it may be possible for parents to mistake selective mutism for simple shyness. Parents believe their child may not want to speak in social settings. At times, a child may not want to talk if they are feeling shy. The difference, however, lies in how your child opens up over time.
What is the difference between being shy and selective mutism?
If a child is just shy, they will begin speaking to new people after the initial newness wears off. On the other hand, a selectively mute child will not reach this point. A child may only talk when they are in a situation they feel completely comfortable in. For instance, if a child with selective mutism is around a sibling or close friends or family members, they may talk.
To note, a child suffering from selective mutism will choose not to speak at all at times. Working with a selective mutism specialist helps a child feel safe learning to open up. Lastly, children with selective mutism benefit from art therapies, yoga therapies, music therapies, and nature therapies to communicate how they feel.
At Wisdom Within Counseling, the team of therapists communicate with children who have selective mutism through creative play therapies.
Selective mutism can be a cause for frustration as well as concern. This anxiety issue can lead to the child having problems in school as well as their social life. Feeling confident talking and laughing again is possible through child therapy at Wisdom Within Counseling. Selectively mute children may refuse to speak in a verity of situations. This can cause frustration or irritably in caregivers. As well, children with selective mutism may give off negative body language to other children. Instead of speaking, a child with selective mutism may cross their arms, or turn away.
How does having selective mutism impact growth and development?
When younger, not speaking may not be as obvious. Toddlers may be slow to talk. However, as your little one grows up, their selective mutism may increase in severity. They have have difficulties making friends due to their lack of verbal skills. Unfortunately, caregivers and parents mays start talking for a child with selective mutism. Talking for a child can make them remain silent longer. A child may learn that they don’t have to talk, or parents will talk for them. Family therapists can help your know when to step in for you child and when to assist your child in another method of communication.
What causes selective mutism?
Studies have shown that most often, the child developed an anxiety disorder. This means that because of family history, your child may have higher levels of anxiety. If you or your spouse have social anxiety, your child may have social anxiety too.
Symptoms of anxiety in children
If this is the case, typically your child will show anxiety tendencies from a very young age with anxiety. Sometimes, children have anxiety symptoms such as problems sleeping, tantrums, and separation anxiety. If you are able to catch anxiety symptoms from a young age, you can consider options such as anxiety counseling In East Lyme, Ct to help your child through their anxiety early on.
To begin, click the button below to book a phone consult to work with a creative selective mutism therapist at Wisdom Within.
Recognizing symptoms early on with the help of a selective mutism specialist at Wisdom Within Counseling can help your child work through their anxiety. Creative expressive therapies help children with selective mutism communicate in ways beyond just words. Acting and singing in drama therapy can be very positive. Offering art therapies, play therapies, music therapies, and nature therapies helps your child communicate before it grows worse.
What can parents do to help?
When it comes to helping your selectively mute child, the first step is getting a diagnosis. It is important to find a therapist you are able to trust in order to properly diagnose your child. The team at Wisdom Within Counseling specialize in selective mutism diagnoses. It is common for parents to receive a referral for counseling from a pediatrician.
At Wisdom Within Counseling, we help children with selective mutism build positive communication skills through art, yoga, music, and nature therapies.
The worst thing to do is ignore the selective mutism. To note, selective mutism will not go away on its own. If left untreated, selective mutism can lead to extremely low self-esteem in children. Also, selective mutism in children can lead to social isolation as children continue to grow older. The team of therapists at Wisdom Within Counseling offer a variety of creative therapies.
Therapy for Selective Mutism
As well, you may also want to look into family counseling. Family therapy helps all members have a safe space to speak about how they are feeling. Parent-only counseling sessions also help parents feel a sense of togetherness.
After your child initial diagnosis, their therapist will to help them work through their selective mutism. These therapies may include but are not limited to:
- Art therapy
- Animal therapies
- Yoga therapy
- Music therapy
- Drama therapy
- Nature therapy
- Holistic therapy
- Parent-child therapy
- Behavioral therapy
- Cognitive behavioral therapy
- Frequent social interactions
- Play therapy
- Positive reinforcement
Working through Difficulties with Your Child
Any diagnosis can be hard to hear. As parents we want to always be able to fix things for our children. But, some things are simply out of our abilities. If you child has a diagnosis of selective mutism, do not worry. There is hope. Creative play therapies, art therapies, and even animal therapies support your child in rebuild self-esteem.
If you notice your child is showing symptoms of selective mutism, contact us.
Even a decrease in verbal skills can be from high anxiety in social situations. Sometimes, children with selective mutism show a refusal to speak in social settings. There might even be fear or standoffish behavior in social situations. If you notice any of the above, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Wisdom Within Counseling.
