Selective mutism in children is the inability to speak in certain situations despite being able to do so in others. It is often linked to social anxiety disorders and can be accompanied by other anxiety-related problems. However, children with selective mutism tend to score higher on measures of intelligence and emotional intelligence.
The most prominent manifestation of selective mutism in children is the inability or inability to speak on certain occasions despite being able to do so on others. A child with selective mutism, for example, might speak openly to a sibling, but remain abnormally silent when he or she should be speaking to a teacher. Other signs of the communication disorder include shyness, social withdrawal, and mobility difficulties. Patients may also show increased sensitivity to noise, anxiety issues, and lack of emotional expression. Selective mutism in children could also have positive signs; studies show that children with the disorder tend to score higher on measures of intelligence and emotional intelligence.
Selective mutism in children is usually first noticed when the child shows significant changes in speech behavior in different situations. In very young children, this tends to express itself at school; particularly, when the child is called upon to act in class. Other common situations that silence children include performances in front of crowds and when speaking to authority figures. Despite the child’s silence in these situations, he seems to have no problem speaking in others.
Some experts believe that selective mutism in children is closely linked to early social anxiety disorders. Therefore, typical symptoms of social anxiety, such as avoidance of social situations, can be taken as signs of communication disorder. Anxiety-related symptoms include abnormal levels of shyness and fear of public embarrassment.
Other psychologists argue that things are the other way around; they believe selective mutism in children is the symptom, while social anxiety is the underlying problem. Studies have revealed that selective mutism tends to be accompanied by other anxiety-related problems, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder and social phobias. Due to the overlapping nature of these ailments, signs of one problem may be taken as a sign of another. The tendency to avoid crowds, for example, is considered a valid sign of social phobia or selective mutism in children.
Researchers have found that despite the difficulty in communicating, there may be positive sides to selective mutism in children, both intellectually and emotionally. Children with selective mutism tend to be more curious and perceptive of the world around them, making them exceptional learners. These children are also likely to be more introspective than others, showing an above-average ability to identify their own feelings and the feelings of others. Experts point out, however, that these relationships are correlational, not causal: Selective mutism has not been shown to make children smarter, intellectually or emotionally.
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