Selective Mutism in the Playroom
From the child who only talks to certain people to the child who doesn’t talk at all, selective mutism has many faces. The playroom is a common place where it surfaces. But a silent child speaks without words, telling us to look below the surface at the nervous system underneath.
1:10 Lisa introduces the Lessons from the Playroom Series and asks for topic suggestions
2:30 Misconceptions about mutism
2:50 Episode 18 Lessons from the Playroom podcast
3:25 Selective mutism as an anxiety disorder
4:10 Mutism shows up in specific situations or around certain people
4:45 The correlation with shyness and social anxiety
5:00 Mutism as a symptom
5:30 Children may stay mute despite shame or repercussions
5:45 Where did the term “mute” come from?
6:25 Selective mutism isn’t about not wanting to talk
7:19 Hierarchical variations of mutism
8:24 What is progressive mutism?
9:00 Fear of embarrassment or social isolation
9:30 Sensory processing challenges and mutism
11:00 What are some common misdiagnoses?
12:00 Regression and mutism
12:50 The importance of looking at trauma
13:38 Review of the nervous system
14:53 How to work with a child who is shutting down
15:15 Lisa discusses an experience she had with a client
16:45 Never force a child to speak
19:30 Helping a child reach their chronological age
20:00 Mutism as a sign of flooding
21:24 Pause, breathe, and allow the anxious child to regulate
23:50 How are selective mutism and fear related?
