Can you recommend a Therapist for preschooler with Selective Mutism?
Can anyone recommend a good therapist for a 4yr old with selective mutism? Our daughter chats all day with ONLY myself and husband and will not speak to any other kids or adults (she feels frozen with fear to talk to anyone she says). She won't talk to visitors, other family members, kids - even afraid to say hello or thank you. She whispers to me sometimes when in the presence of others but otherwise is silent. She's been unsuccessful talking at preschool and she feels very anxious there - won't talk or even interact with kids, teachers, anyone. We've paused school for now as she has been petrified to go and can't communicate or even participate properly there. Really want to work with someone who has experience with the specific type of anxiety that manifests as selective mutism in preschoolers. I've known she's had an issue like this even as a baby when she started with intense stranger and separation anxiety which never really abated. I've read below that Dr. Joanna Self might be a resource but she mostly sees teens. Anyone who has good experience with a preschooler? Thank you!!
Parent Replies
We were exactly where you are 6 years ago. My daughter even stopped speaking to my husband for a few months. We had a hard time getting in to see anyone, but someone recommended this book: https://www.amazon.com/Helping-Your-Child-Selective-Mutism/dp/157224416…. It was incredibly helpful! We immediately started implementing the suggestions in the book, and within 3 months (when a therapist finally had some availability), she had started talking to one of her preschool teachers. We held off on therapy, and kept following the guidance in the book with continued success.
Now, at age 10, she has a leading part in a play. Theater has actually been great - she started just in the chorus (her request) at age 6, and progressed to tiny and then bigger roles. She still tends to freeze up if she unexpectedly becomes the center of attention, and has had to work on speaking up / asking for help in class, but these are completely manageable things. Another great resource, if you haven't already found her, is:
Kevallyn PaskosSMG State Coordinator / Northern CaliforniaSelective Mutism Advocate
EMAIL – SelectiveMutismAwareness [at] gmail.com (SelectiveMutismAwareness[at]gmail[dot]com)
WEBSITE – www.SelectiveMutism.org
Good luck!
This is a few years back but my son was literally saved from his SM by Dr. Joanna Self.
joannaself [at] sbcglobal.net . 510-847-8139
She started seeing my son in middle school and really went the extra mile to help him.
Give her a call to chat.
We went thru so many therapists who claimed to know SM but she was the only one who really understood how to work
with kids with SM. He finally came out of it in 8th grade.
My son is now 22 and is the greatest kid in the world. He considers SM part of his past though
he realizes it has made him the sensitive, very astute person he is today.
Wishing you the best. Feel free to contact me.
Dr. Audrey Boggs helped my son with this issue at age 4. She specializes in selective mutism and actually had the condition herself when younger. She sets up a step-by-step plan - starting with saying one or two words, working up to asking for something in a shop etc. She's in San Rafael but it might be worth the drive. For what it's worth, my son, now 12, grew out of selective mutism by 5 or 6. But Audrey helped him very much. http://www.a-work-of-heart.com/