Editorial Review
Often described as "social phobia's cousin" and misdiagnosed as autism, selective mutism is a debilitating fear of speaking in some situations experienced by some children. The disorder usually presents in children before the age of five, but it may not be recognized until the child starts school. When requested to speak, children with selective mutism often look down, blush, or otherwise express anxiety that disrupts their engagement with people and activities. Selective mutism is related to social anxiety and social phobia, and more than 90 percent of children with selective mutism also manifest symptoms of one of these problems.
This book is the first available for parents of children with selective mutism. It offers a broad overview of the condition and reviews the diagnostic criteria for the disorder. The book details a plan you can use to coordinate professional treatment of your child’s disorder. It also explains the steps you can take on your own to encourage your child to speak comfortably in school and in his or her peer group. All of the book’s strategies employ a gradual, "stepladder" approach. The techniques gently encourage children to speak more, while at the same time helping them feel safe and supported.
Angela E. McHolm, Ph.D., is director of the Selective Mutism Service at McMaster Children’s Hospital in Hamilton, ON. The Selective Mutism Service offers outpatient psychiatric consultation to families and professionals such as school personnel, speech and language pathologists, and mental health clinicians who support children with selective mutism. She is assistant professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioural Neurosciences in the Faculty of Health Sciences at McMaster University in Hamilton, ON.
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Customer Reviews
Exceptional resource for parents and professionals 
2005-10-18
As a clinician that has worked extensively in the area of selective mutism, I have read most of the available resources on the topic, and Dr. McHolm's well written and comprehensive book is by far the most valuable. Based upon research findings and the author's years of experience, the book includes information about selective mutism and a detailed, practical description of strategies that can help children become more comfortable speaking. I would strongly recommend this resource to both parents and professionals that are supporting a child with selective mutism.
Comprehensive, engaging book provides hands-on suggestions about helping children with selective mutism 2005-10-15
In Helping Your Child with Selective Mutism: Steps to Overcome a Fear of Speaking, Dr. McHolm and colleagues provide a comprehensive, practical and insightful book that will be of tremendous assistance to parents and professionals alike.
Synthesizing the latest research findings with expert clinical experience, Dr. McHolm and colleagues provide clear, concise information and strategies by which parents and professionals can understand and assist children with selective mutism. The reader is provided with case examples throughout that clearly illustrate the application of tools, and tips by which parents can support their children through any difficulties that may arise.
Helping Your Child with Selective Mutism is written with sensitivity, and in an informative yet engaging manner.
This outstanding book will be a valuable reference for both parents and professionals.
Outstanding guide for helping children with Selective Mutism 2005-10-09
As a psychologist, I am often looking for books to give to parents to help them to understand the nature of their child's difficulties and how to help at home. This book is an excellent resource not only for parents, but also for any professional helping a child with selective mutism. Clear and concise, this book offers a step-by-step outline for treating the selectively mute child. Sensitive to the child's and families experiences, this book is written in such a way that everyone will find it helpful. Thank you to Dr. McHolm and colleagues for an outstanding contribution to the field.
Clear, concise help for your selectively mute child 2005-09-02
I've bought nearly every publication about selective mutism available, and this is the best book yet, as it takes into account the most recent research and outlines clear steps for working to help selectively mute children find ways to cope at school and in public. As anyone who knows someone with selective mutism can tell you, there are no magical quick solutions, but this book has a pragmatic optimism that is encouraging to my family.
Practical, Informative Resource for Parents and Educators 2005-08-28
This book helps shed light on an area where there is not a lot of information available.
Parents of children with selective mutism, along with educators, will find Helping Your Child with Selective Mutism: Steps to Overcome a Fear of Speaking, a useful resource, providing both information and a practical approach to assisting the child.
The recommended actions are clearly spelled out. While focusing primarily on working with children who experience selective mutism in the school setting, the strategies suggested in the book are applicable across a variety of settings.
As a special educator, I would recommend this book to parents and teachers who would like to learn more about selective mutism and actions to be taken to assist the child.
A good basic resource 
2007-04-10
I consider selective mutism as an extreme form of anxiety disorder, much like the authors of this book and several of the reviewers.
However, there are reasons why children with selective mutism are sometimes "misdiagnosed" with autism spectrum disorder. Frequently, in my experience, the two overlap, especially in children with High-Functioning Autism and Asperger's Syndrome. I also say this from experience: I am diagnosed Asperger's as an adult, but could not speak fluently until I was 8 due to word-finding difficulties associated with autism. There was no diagnosis of high-functioning autism when I was a child, so they called me "elective mutism with autistic features". (Selective mutism used to be called elective mutism.) I had a great deal of anxiety in situations where I was expected to speak to others for years afterward, and frequently would not speak with anyone other than my parents and teachers.
I must say, though, that the authors did not include the techniques I have found that work best with children with either or both selective mutism and high-functioning autism disorders, including asperger's, who have anxiety about speaking.
Some respond very well to the use of masks. I try to have it be a mask that the child has made, with my assistance, and gradually modify the mask to look more like the child, or modify the base material from paper to nylon around a base.
Another good therapy tool is a sock puppet. Gradually make it look more like the child, such as by adding hair, eyes the same color as the childs', etc. Gradually try to fade the use of these as the child's anxiety decreases.
Best of luck.
Great Results!!! 2007-03-09
We have a 4 year old who did not speak at all in preschool for the first several months. We were very worried about her. Her teacher initially misunderstood her behavior, thinking she was just being uncooperative. I initially consulted the website, [...], and shared the information from it with her teacher. Together we implemented several strategies recommended on the website, including a teacher home visit, and realized some positive, albeit limited, results. I then found this book, and again shared it with her teacher. We had a very clear understanding of SM as a result, and implemented some additional strategies suggested in the book (like another teacher home visit, building on the friendships she had outside of school, being cognizant of classroom seating, etc.). To all of our amazement she is a little chatterbox at school now (same school year)!!! I am incredulous that implementing the simple suggestions on the website and in the book had such dramatic results, and highly recommend the book for parents and teachers of children with this problem. THANK YOU to the authors!!!
Excellent Resource 2007-01-02
This is the first book I would buy after receiving a Selective Mutism diagnosis. It's well written and organized in a logical step-by-step fashion. Well worth the money.
I also highly recommend Maggie Johnson's "The Selective Mutism Resource Manual". It's pricey by comparison, but worth the cost.
A book for parents who want to help their children 2006-07-11
As a mother of a child with selective mutism, I can tell how helpful this book can be. Practical and comprehensive, it helps you rate your child's level of selective mutism and gives hints on how to work your way up the ladder of a child's social relationships. Feels good to see the progress. If your child is well described by the first chapter, then get a copy of this book for the teachers.
What a find! 2006-02-02
What a find!! Helping Your Child with Selective Mutism is a well-researched and organized resource that is a must read for educators and parents alike.
