Selective Mutism

Causes Of Selective Mutism

Many parents are quick to blame themselves whenever something goes wrong with their children's health. This is something that you should not do when it comes to selective mutism though. While nobody quite understands what is the root cause of this disorder, you should know that you would do more good focusing on treatment than you will focusing on the cause. However, if you still feel the need to understand the cause of this disorder, we will take a closer look at that here.

Doctors are unable to say that this is a hereditary or genetic disorder. However, they do notice that selective mutism does occur more often when the child's parents have passed on to them a predisposition towards anxiety.

Another thing that doctors have noticed is that those who suffer from selective mutism also have an overly excitable amygdala. This is the part of the brain that received indications of possible threats and thus sets off the fight-or-flight response within a person. Therefore, it is believed that those who suffer from selective mutism have their speech shut down whenever they enter into a situation where they need to speak. This is because their fight response is on high and thus they see such situations as a threat to their safety.

It is also interesting to note that between 20 to 30% of these children also have another speech or language disorder that adds additional stress, which in turn increases their inability to speak. Growing up in a bilingual family or having lived in a foreign country may cause some of these speech disorders. In either case these children may be extremely insecure in the language that they are suppose to speak.

While it has also been said that children who suffer from selective mutism have suffered from abuse, neglect or trauma, there is no evidence of this being the case. The main difference is the fact that those children who have selective mutism almost always speak in some situations. However, those children who suffer from mutism that has been induced by trauma will simply become suddenly silent in all situations, not just "some."

Now that you know what doctors believe to be the cause of selective mutism, it is time to move on to caring for your child who has this disorder. Blaming yourself will do nothing but fighting for proper treatment will do wonders. Good luck!