Selective Mutism Research Paper

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Selective mutism is a rare disease among children who have a severe phobia of speaking in public situations. I have dealt with this disorder first-hand while growing up. "Silent Suffering: Children with Selective Mutism" written by Lisa Camposano went in depth about what exactly selective mutism is, a few of the causes, and different ways to treat the disorder. What exactly is selective mutism? Selective mutism is a disorder in children where they have a continuous fear of speaking in public places, such as a school or any other social setting where the child is required to speak (Campasano, 2011). Not only is the child quiet, they can also show other symptoms like, "avoidance of eye contact, lack of smiling, tantrums, blushing and fidgeting" …show more content…
Personally, knowing what this disorder is like, I can honestly say there is no real reason why I chose to be silent for all those years. This article has really shown me that there are many theories but no actual causes of selective mutism. One of the theories is a traumatic event, like the loss of loved ones or being abused that causes the child to go silent (Campasano, 2011). But, studies have shown that a traumatic event does not cause the selective mutism. Another theory is that anxiety disorders that mainly run in families and "parents of children who have selective mutism are likely to exhibit signs of moderate to severe anxiety" (Campasano, 2011, pg 47). Most people mistaken shyness for selective mutism. But the two are very different in many ways. Shyness is something children can overcome when they get more comfortable in social situations. It is important to know that selective mutism is not a learning disorder. Rather it is a fear, most likely caused by anxiety, where the child is scared to speak making it much harder to overcome (Campasano, 2011). It is not impossible to overcome, it takes a lot of patience, caring and understanding from parents, teachers, and
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