There is such a group of children,They speak and communicate normally at home and are able to do anything their age, but they are in kindergarten or other public places"Refuse" to speak
Lan Lan is in primary school this year, her studies are okay, and she doesn't make trouble not going to school, but what worries Lan Lan's mother the most is her social situation.
After more than two months of elementary school, the teacher reported that Lan Lan's situation at school was very strange, and in the face of the teacher's questions in class, Lan Lan always bowed her head and was silent, and simple questions were always the same.
During recess, he played with his classmates, but he was rarely seen chatting with his classmates, and her classmates called her, but she did not respond.
Once, the teacher asked the students to recite poems on the podium, but Lan Lan kept standing on the podium and refused to speak. The teacher asked Lan Lan if she didn't know how to readShe didn't want to answer, she just shook her head.
Lan Lan's parents are very puzzled, the child is lively and cheerful at home, expresses himself fluently, and will also be coquettish with his parents, and there are no problems with the interaction with his parents, why is he reluctant to speak when he arrives at school?
Lan Lan's mother has always thought that the child is just shy and introverted. When I was in kindergarten, the teacher also said that Lan Lan talked less in kindergarten and belonged to a quieter child, and her parents took Lan Lan out to meet friends, and Lan Lan always hugged her mother and was reluctant to call someone.
Parents thought that it might be that girls would be quieter and introverted, until they entered elementary school, and Lan Lan's reluctance to speak at school became more and more obvious.
At this time, Lan Lan's parents realized that there was really something wrong with their child
Parents who encounter such a situation are very anxious. Did the child deliberately not speak at school?What the hell is going on with the child?Is it autism?All kinds of speculation and worries, not knowing what to do.
Actually, the child may be in such a situation with another kindAnxiety disorders in childrenRelated——Selective mutism
The short film "Love Without Talking".
Selective mutism (SM), also known as localized aphasia or selective aphasia, is a complex anxiety disorder in children.
The basic characteristic is that the child's language comprehension and expression skills are normal, but he or she selectively remains silent in certain situations that require verbal communication.
In other cases, it is possible to talk freely without constraints. The duration of this condition is at least more than a month.
At first, the child's symptoms may be mistaken by family members and parents for introverted shyness, because children tend to communicate normally when they interact with people they know very well at home, and only when they are very shy or nervous in certain social situations, which can be misunderstood.
It is often not until they enter primary school that they are unable to talk properly with teachers and peers, and are unable to adapt to completing social interactions and tasks in school, that they are not brought to the attention of teachers and parents.
What we commonly think of as introversion and not like to talk is actually very different from selective mutism.
Shady's Duck
A book featuring a 10-year-old boy with selective mutism.
1.Selective silence
The child is persistently unable to speak in specific social situations in which he or she is expected to speak, such as at school, but in other settings, most notably with parents, may be verbally normal or even active.
2.Social Impairment:
Even if there is a need or desire to communicate, the child may show social inhibition at school, with strangers, or in other specific situations. Such as timidity, shyness, avoidance, etc.
For example, when Lanlan was in class, even if her stomach hurt, she didn't dare to raise her hand to tell the teacher that she wanted to go to the toilet, and she didn't want to stand up and answer when the teacher asked her.
3.Replace communication with non-verbal behaviors
Your child can use nodding, gestures, or facial expressions as an alternative method of communication, and it will be obvious that your child can understand the speaker's intentions.
4.Consistency
The duration of selective silence is at least 1 month (cannot be limited to the first month of enrollment).
5.Exclusion of other obstacles
A child's silence is not due to a lack of knowledge or language problems (e.g., unfamiliarity with the language used), or other communication disorders (e.g., stuttering), or only in the course of autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disability in children, or other psychiatric disorders.
Children with selective mutism are more like having a "mute switch" in their bodies, and they will "mute themselves with one button" in specific social situations, no matter how parents and teachers ask and persuade them, it will be useless, they just don't speak.
At home, however, they are more likely to show the opposite of reticence, being expressive but often stubborn, and some children are also very dependent on their parents, and even find it difficult to sleep alone.
The short film "Love Without Talking".
The role of selective mutism is not well understood, and it is currently more likely to be thought that selective mutism may be caused by a number of factorsThese include genetic, neurobiological, psychological, and family environment factors.
1.Genetic factors
Studies have found that children who have multiple family members with selective mutism and family members with a history of anxiety disorders may be more likely to develop selective mutism.
2.Neurobiological factors:
Neurobrain science studies have shown that children with selective mutism have a more sensitive amygdala response, which is primarily responsible for dealing with feelings of fear and anxiety, than normal children.
Parents of the affected children also found that their children often have too much worry and fear, and have inexplicable bad thoughts.
3.Psychological and family environmental factors
The social context of a child's early years plays an important role in children's development.
The survey found that children with this basic usually come from stressed, high-expectation families, and this high demand may increase their nervousness and restlessness in social situations.
Trauma in the early stages of a child's development, such as abuse, divorce of parents, and frequent changes of living environment, may increase the risk of selective mutism.
The short film "Love Without Talking".
As an anxiety disorder, the symptoms of SM tend to be related to the psychological state in which the individual is located.
When children feel that they are expected to speak in a particular situation, they often become anxious and uneasy, and their hearts are inexplicably afraid, resulting in them being unable to make a sound.
At this time, the pressure from the outside world, the incomprehensible eyes of the teachers, the urging expressions of the parents, and the anxiety in their own hearts made the children's anxiety levels soar, more fearful, and silent. When anxiety levels are too high, some children freeze and have physical reactions.
Frustrations and misunderstandings in school and social situations can cause a huge sense of confusion, shame and isolation, undermine a child's self-confidence and self-esteem, and reinforce a child's negative experience of communication.
The thought of talking to someone creates a strong sense of fear or panic, the fear of looking silly when you can't speak, the fear that you won't be able to speak when you need to.
The child gradually becomes reluctant to communicate, afraid to speak, and adopts avoidance strategies to allow himself to get a respite from anxiety. But it also makes yourself more afraid of talking, and more anxious and fearful when you can't avoid it, forming a fear cycle.
If it lasts for too long, the social impairment caused by the disease may cause the patient to be ridiculed, discriminated against, or even bullied at school, which may lead to anxiety, depression, social phobia, and other more serious psychological problems. So the best way is to detect it early.
The short film "Love Without Talking".
For children with selective mutism, a combination of methods is more effective.
Here are some common methods::
1.Cognitive-behavioral**
Through education and training, children are taught to change their perception of unfamiliar environments and social situations, and to teach them fears and anxieties.
2.Communication training for children
Through games, role-plays, etc., children learn effective communication skills and communication styles to improve their self-confidence and ability to face model people.
3.Expressive Arts**
Expressive arts** can help children with selective mutism to express their emotions and emotions through non-verbal means, such as sand play** and drawing**, thereby promoting the development of their social and language skills.
For example, sand table games can allow children to express themselves in a free environment without pressure, with a creative game and imagination, with sand and various sand tools to pose their own inner world picture, project their own emotions and emotions, and the teacher in the way of game interaction, support and guide children to better explore their inner world, so as to promote their development.
This method also helps children build trust in the teacher, reduce the child's defense, and with the help of the sand table scene made by the child, it is also conducive to the teacher gradually encouraging the child to speak and express.
4.Parent support and education
Parental support and understanding are essential for your child's **. By learning how to communicate and interact with their children, parents can create a safe, non-threatening environment for their children at home, extend indoor strategies to their children's daily lives, and help children reduce their inner anxiety.
5.Medications**
For people with severe selective mutism, doctors may consider anti-anxiety medications or antidepressants to reduce symptoms. However, the drug is only an adjunct and cannot be used to treat the disease.
Selective mutism not only affects children's normal communication and social skills, but also brings problems to their development.
However, with early detection and integration**, most children are able to receive effective help and remission. Parents should pay attention to their children's communication performance and seek professional psychological counseling and ** in a timely manner.
The short film "Love Without Talking".
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