Selective mutism, which was previously known as elective mutism, can be defined as a social anxiety disorder in which someone who can normally speak is unable to speak in certain situations. Thankfully, this is a rare psychological disorder but it still deserves attention and understanding.
While it is sad, it is also interesting to note that while this disorder was first described in 1934, there was no research done on this disorder until 1990. At this time Dr. Bruce Black from the National Institute of Health in Bethesda, Maryland held the first research program.
Since this disorder is so difficult to diagnose, there are many cases of selective mutism that unfortunately go undiagnosed. It is estimated that 1 in 1,000 children are diagnosed with this disorder. However this estimate is only based upon those cases that have been diagnosed. There are certainly other cases that could boost this number. For this reason it is so very important to truly understand just what selective mutism really is all about.
If you are a parent who is only beginning to learn about selective mutism for the first time, you may be taken by surprise to learn that there really is a form of social anxiety that can stop your child from talking. Without understanding this, you may have been led to believe that your child is simply refusing to talk when in reality your child is truly unable to talk whenever he is in certain situations. After all, this disorder can be quite easily misunderstood since the child is oftentimes able to be quite fluent whenever they are in a situation that they are comfortable being in, such as at home.
Of course, this medical condition is a lot more complex than any introduction can fully explain. In order to truly understand what is really going on you have to understand what causes selective mutism, what the symptoms of this disorder are and how doctors are able to go about treating this condition. However, now that you have a basic understanding of what this disorder is all about, you will more than likely want to continue your reading as you are probably be left wondering what causes it or how it can be treated. As you can probably tell, this is quite a complex disorder. Therefore, it is important to take some time to look at each of these issues in depth.