Elective mutism is condition, when person has ability to speak, but doesn’t speak in almost all social situations.
Classically, Elective mutism was described as "a continuous refusal to speak in almost all social situations" despite normal ability to speak.
Such cases are described in books, and movies. But medically such kind of mutism is not supported and the term itself is outdated.
Since 1994, the term elective mutism was revised and renamed to Selective mutism.
Now, selective mutism is considered as anxiety disorder, in which a person who is otherwise capable of speech, becomes unable to speak when exposed to specific situations, specific places, or to specific people.
This is caused by the freeze response. Selective mutism usually co-exists with social anxiety disorder.
People with selective mutism stay silent even consequences of their silence is unfavorable for them.
The behaviour may be perceived as shyness or rudeness by others.
Example of selective mutism is a kid, who stays completely silent at school for years, but speaks at home .
Another example, kid speaks only to peers, but not to adults.
In Severe Forms disorder can progress, until the person with this condition no longer speaks to anyone in any situation, even close family members. Such severe cases is called Progressive mutism.
Selective mutism should be differentiate from ordinal shyness.
Also, Particularly in young children, selective mutism can sometimes be confused with an autism spectrum disorder.
Although autistic people may also be selectively mute, they often display other behaviors—stimming, repetitive behaviors, social isolation even among family members (not always answering to name, for example)—that set them apart from a child with selective mutism.
If mutism is entirely due to autism spectrum disorder, it cannot be diagnosed as selective mutism.
Around 0.1 % of General population, have selective mutism. Incidence of the cases can be much higher.
In persons with selective mutism, some positive traits observed in many cases:
For example:
Above average intelligence, inquisitiveness, or perception.
A strong sense of right and wrong.
Creativity.
Love for the arts.
Empathy.
Sensitivity for other people.
No known cause exist of selective mutism, it is hypothesized that, it is inherited predisposition to anxiety. And can be caused by result of over-excitability of the area of the brain called the amygdala. This area receives indications of possible threats and sets off the fight-or-flight response.
In many cases, condition will not improve with age. So, Effective treatment is necessary.
Without treatment, selective mutism can contribute to chronic depression, further anxiety, and other social and emotional problems.
Regardless of the cause, increasing awareness and ensuring an accommodating, supportive environment are the first steps towards effective treatment. Most often affected children do not have to change schools or classes and have no difficulty keeping up except on the communication and social front.
stimulus fading is typically used with younger children because older children and teenagers recognize the situation as an attempt to make them speak, and older people with this condition and people with depression are more likely to need medication.
Some practitioners believe there would be evidence indicating anxiolytics to be helpful in treating children and adults with selective mutism.
Antidepressants have been used in addition to self-modeling and mystery motivation to aid in the learning process.
By Vinc3PaulS - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, [ Ссылка ]
