Selective Mutism Is A Changeable Anxiety Issue Defined By A Child 's Lack Of Talk

Selective mutism is an extreme anxiety disorder, and although children with selective mutism speak and act very normally in their home environment together with family members, they are unable to talk in social settings out of their comfort zone (such as at school). Most of the kids with SM have social phobia or social anxiety, and they are not mute intentionally, but they are unable to speak. Usually, SM is mistaken for autism; that is a much more severe problem. Not all children show their tension, in the same way, some may be totally quiet and not able to talk to anybody in a social setting, others may have the capacity to address a chosen few or be able to whisper. They may stop, be blank, unemotional and may be socially isolated. Excessive shyness, withdrawal, clinging behavior, temper, negativism are some of the characteristics of selective mutism.

Classical conditioning is the relationship of an automatic response with a neutral occurrence. There are many main components to classical conditioning. Acquisition which is the learning part of classical conditioning where the conditioned stimulus is paired with the unconditioned stimulus. An unconditioned stimulus is a stimulus that instinctively causes a response. An unconditioned response is the response to the unconditioned stimulus that the researcher will document. A Neutral stimulus is a stimulus that may not get a response initially however after time, develops an instinctive response. A conditioned stimulus is a neutral stimulus after is has taught the response by training based on the conditioning. A conditioned response is the response to the conditioned stimulus. Extinction, spontaneous recovery, generalization, and discrimination are all a part of the classical conditioning process (Nevid,

Classical conditioning is a form of learning that is taught to us through experiences we encounter in our lives. It involves outside stimuli to trigger the condition we have learned to expect. For example, the sound of a lunch bell would trigger our stomach to start growling soon after hearing the bell ring. The expectation of food to come soon after hearing the bell and satisfy our hunger is what makes our stomach growl. This is something learned over time. Expectations can be both good and bad. Sometimes these negative experiences cause us to have certain behaviors when we are reminded of such an event.

My example of classical conditioning would be the time I had gotten into a car accident on the highway. Now the accident wasn’t serious, but it left me scared. After the incident, every time I got into a car my body would tense up. I also would feel like I was unable to breathe. As of now I still have miniature panic attacks at the thought of riding in a car or getting on the highway.

Most children are diagnosed during the first years of schooling, when the child’s teacher is usually the first to bring concerns to the parents/caregivers and the school administration. Often it is not until children enter school and there is an expectation to perform, interact and speak, that selective mutism becomes more obvious. Moreover, when school starts, children also experience difficulties

Classical conditioning refers to the learning through association. It involves learning a new behavior through the process of association

The purpose of Compansano’s article was to increase awareness of the disorder Selective Mutism and the issues connected with the anxiety disorder. Compansano addresses the current treatments, and the need for early intervention. Compansano concludes her article by suggesting the need for more research and training for educational counselors. Compansano described Selective Mutism by using the American Psychiatric Association’s definition as “persistent failure to speak in specific social situations (e.g., school, with playmates) where speaking is expected, despite communicating in other situations” (American Psychiatric Association,

What percentage of practicing school psychologists know what selective mutism is? What percentage of practicing school psychologists have treated SM, What methods/interventions have school psychologists used to treat SM? What results have they had? What kind of training has school psychologists had to work with selective mutism? Are there differences

Most parents fail to recognize their child’s disorder until early kindergarten years and contribute the lack of speech prior to entering school as shyness or fear. The average age of onset for selective mutism occurs between three and five years (Beidel & Turner,

This disorder is important to me for two reasons: 1) my adopted granddaughter has Selective Mutism, and 2) there is very little awareness about the disorder and especially in education. Since this disorder is not well known and usually diagnosed incorrectly as shyness rather than an anxiety disorder by primary care physicians, this hampers this population from getting immediate treatment. Moreover, what is strange, at home, the child does not manifest this anxiety disorder and speaks in a normal fashion (Harwood, & Bork, 2011). To adequately support the Selective Mutism child, there is a need to provide classroom support, along with, teacher, parents, and school psychologist awareness. An intensive training program for all teaching staff and educational psychologist is needed to accomplish this. (Shipon-Blum,

When a child is unable to speak around certain people or in certain settings they may have an anxiety disorder called selective mutism. ("Parents Guide to Selective Mutism." Child Mind Institute. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Jan. 2017. page 1) It is very common for kids with selective mutism to be very chatty at home with family and friends but then silent at school right every other public setting. Parents start noticing the size of selective mutism at around age 3 or four. Although of the disorder might not be diagnosed until he/she is school-aged, when their speech problems become more evident. Child with selective mutism could go a whole year in the classroom or other school setting without talking to the teacher, Students, or counselors. Usually kids with selective mutism are very well behaved and polite meaning they listen they just don't know how to communicate is someone there not comfortable with, so their silence can be misunderstood as shyness but is usually never addressed as a possible wall/barrier to their learning. According to the parent’s guide to select mutism from the child mind Institute selective mutism can cause significant impairment in a child's life. It can interfere with kid’s performances at school, both academically and

In the classroom many different anxieties are present whether educators know it or see it. It is not something a child might share but their actions speak larger than words. There are three main anxieties that are present in the classroom,There are three main anxieties that are present in the classroom, these include separation anxiety: When children are scared to be alone .Social anxiety: When children are scared and nervous of specific areas and lastly,Selective mutism: When children have a hard time speaking in different settings ( typically in front of the classroom).Along with these various names and labels, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental

     Classical conditioning refers to a simple form of learning, which occurs through the repeated association of two or more different stimuli. Learning is

Assessment tools such as the Selective Mutism Questionnaire (SMQ) and the Social Anxiety Scale for Children-Revised, can be completed by caregivers to garner information on their child’s level of communication and anxiety (Busse & Downy, 2011). By completing the assessments, suggestions for treatment can take place. In addition to questionnaires, a functional analysis of SM generally involves interviews, behavioral observations and daily logs (Kearney & Vechhio, 2006). Looking at SM in a school setting, it can interfere with a child’s ability to interact with other students and have an active voice within the classroom. SM not only hinders a child’s social interaction and growth, but it delays the development of appropriate oral reading and

Classical conditioning involves deciding whether positive or negative regard is felt towards an attitude object that has previously been associated with either a pleasurable or un-pleasurable event (Lord 1997).