Selective Mutism: This Is My Story ✓

symptoms

Source : http://theselectivemutism.info/symptoms-of-selective-mutism/index.php

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Children who have selective mutism symptoms may just be considered quiet or shy at first. Often a parent or someone else, who is familiar with the child, will see that the child has some or all of the symptoms of selective mutism. A healthcare professional that is experienced with this anxiety disorder, that some still consider a form of autism, can make diagnose this disorder. Early diagnosis and treatment can minimize the effects of selective mutism.

Those children who have been diagnosed with selective mutism share many of the following symptoms in common:

1. The child is consistently unable to speak when it comes to certain social situations, such as at school, even though they are able to speak in other situations such as whenever they are at home with just their immediate family around. This is because they feel at home whenever they are in their own house but they are afraid of being embarrassed socially whenever they are out and about. As you may well imagine, this can lead to both social isolation and withdrawal.

2. This disorder will interfere with the child's educational achievement and social communication. Later on, if left untreated, it will also interfere with their occupational achievement.

3. A child will suffer from this disorder for at least 1 month. However, the first month of school does not count since a lot of children are quite shy during this time and thus this shyness needs to be ruled out first.

The child has difficulty maintaining eye contact.

3. The child is reluctant to smile and oftentimes he will have blank facial expressions.

4. The child's body movements are often stiff and awkward.

5. A child who has this disorder also has a tendency to worry more about things than other people do.

6. Someone who has selective mutism will be extraordinarily sensitive to noise, crowds and crowded situation. This is why a person who has selective mutism will also have a fear of using public restrooms.

7. The child will have difficulty with both verbal and non-verbal expression.

8. A child who has selective mutism will oftentimes have frequent temper tantrums at home. (lol my mum just thinks im being moody)

Those who are diagnosed with selective mutism oftentimes have compulsive traits that appear to be similar to Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD) but they are not the same disorders, nor are they related in any way.

When the person who has selective mutism is still young, he will cling to his parent or other caretaker.

A person with selective mutism may appear to be excessively shy when in reality they actually have a fear of people.

People with selective mutism may also have an anxiety disorder such as social phobia.

As you may have noticed, there are a lot of similarities between selective mutism and autism. However, these 2 disorders are not the same thing nor are they related in any way. Nonetheless, it is still very important to understand exactly what seductive mutism is.

sorry if that was boring at all!

i don't really like Internet sources and websites because of the things they say and the sort of way that put it, like 'the child' etc.

it's so annoying!

anyway, if you have got bored of long things like this i promise there will be more written by me to come.

this book is dedicated to @ohsnapitznanna because she has sm too and she is so amazing -

ily nanna <3333