Elective mutism is a pathology in which, for various reasons, the child refuses to speak. If it is diagnosed in a timely manner, then there are high chances for a complete recovery of the patient. The disease is considered neurological.
What is a disease?
Elective mutism is a kind of disease, which is characterized by the possession of oral and written speech, normal mental development. The child does not focus on himself. In addition, the speech centers in the brain are functionally intact.
Sick child simply does not want to communicate with anyone, ignores any questions addressed to him. However, if you do not pay due attention to the pathology, then it can turn into a chronic form. In this case, the process of socialization of children in society is further disrupted.
Most often such a psychological deviation is diagnosed at the age of 3 to 9 years. Moreover, such a kind of dumbness does not always appear, it all depends on the situation. Selective mutism affects very sensitive and vulnerable children.
Diagnosis of thispathology must be differential. Otherwise, the child may be labeled with a severe mental illness and given completely wrong treatment.
Features of the development of the disease
Selective mutism has some nuances:
- More often the pathology is diagnosed in girls.
- The risk group includes those children who have a family history of adults with speech development problems.
- Disease appears in most cases in those families where the situation is unfavorable.
- Practically all sick children have cerebral pathology.
- Violations of facial expressions, motor skills and behavior are absent.
- In most cases, a child is diagnosed with selective mutism. That is, the patient's behavior depends on the specific situation.
These features distinguish childhood mutism from other mental disorders.
Causes of disease development
There are various factors that can cause such a pathological condition:
- Inability to communicate with others, find a common language with them.
- A child's inability to verbally articulate their desire.
- The baby doesn't have his own space to express negative feelings, so he just stops talking.
- Problems with articulation.
- Unfavorable family situation.
- Brain damage.
- Severe depression.
- The initial stage of schizophrenia or autism.
- Hysterical neurosis.
- Strongemotional excitement as a result of fright, the loss of a loved one.
- Lack of attention from parents, misunderstanding in the family.
- Some mental disorders: increased anxiety, tics of various etiologies.
- Speech disorder or mental retardation.
- Corny stubbornness.
These reasons can cause other pathologies. However, selective mutism needs to be identified as accurately as possible for treatment to be effective.
Symptoms of pathology
Besides the fact that the child is silent, there are other signs of the presented disease:
- Incomplete disappearance of vocalization, that is, a small patient can communicate with a narrow circle of people, for example, only parents.
- Frequent depression, increased anxiety.
- Fears that can turn into phobias.
- Enuresis.
- Possible developmental disorders of speech.
- Some intellect problems.
- Difficulties with the process of adaptation in society.
- Violation of the volitional activity of the individual, manifested in the fact that the child categorically refuses to talk with those people who are not included in the circle of his confidants.
- Shyness.
- Violation of sleep and appetite.
Selective mutism in adults, as well as adolescents, is much more difficult. The clinical picture in this case is more diverse.
Varieties of mutism
Mutism can be classified according to various criteria:
1. By intensitymanifestations:
- Short-term (situational).
- Permanent (elective).
- Total.
2. By character duration:
- Transient.
- Continuous.
3. Depending on the impact of mental trauma:
- Hysterical. It is provoked by a strong mental shock, as a result of which speech is simply taken away. This form occurs in adults and can last up to several weeks.
- Logophobic. Such mutism is more characteristic of schoolchildren. It arises from an overwhelming fear of hearing one's own speech. In adults, this type of pathology practically does not occur.
- Mixed.
In preschool and primary school age, pathocharacterological mutism is manifested. The main reason for this condition is a change in the habitual environment of the child. It is typical for those children who have a very strong attachment to the house, timidity.
There is another classification of pathology:
- Elective mutism, the correction of which is successful in most cases. It lies in the fact that speech is absent only in certain situations.
- Akinetic. In this case, in addition to speech disorders, the patient also has movement disorders.
- Apalic. This is the most complex form of the disease, which is expressed in a complete lack of response to external stimuli.
Diagnostic features
In order to accurately identify the presentedpathological condition, it is necessary to contact a psychologist, clinical psychotherapist, neurologist and speech therapist. These specialists will not only see the signs of selective mutism, but they will also be able to cure the child. But here it should be borne in mind that if the child did not begin to speak before the age of three, then this condition may be normal, since the formation of mental processes in different children is not the same.
In addition to psychological tests, specialists can prescribe the following procedures for a child:
- Electrocardiogram.
- Electroencephalography.
- MRI.
- Chest X-ray.
How is pathology treated?
It should be noted that the treatment of selective mutism with the help of medications is extremely rare. Most often, the patient is prescribed drugs that promote the synthesis of serotonin. The doctor may prescribe such medications: antipsychotics, nootropics, antidepressants.
The method of behavioral psychotherapy is mainly used to determine the exact causes of the development of a pathological condition. This method of treatment involves the adaptation of a sick baby in a group of interlocutors of the same age. And it is gradually increasing. At first there were only two interlocutors. If the child is trying and he has a positive trend, then he needs to be encouraged and encouraged in every possible way.
In addition, selective mutism in children is treated with family and speech therapy. That is, the parents themselves play an important role in the treatment. They mustencourage any verbal contact with your child. In addition, it is important for the baby to feel the attention of parents, their emotional support.
Much depends on the environment of the little patient. If such dumbness manifests itself in a kindergarten or school, then in these institutions, teachers and peers of the child must act according to a predetermined therapy scheme.
It should be noted that this pathology is treated not only at home, but also in the hospital. The second option is necessary only if a complex examination or even surgery is foreseen.
In order to cure a child, there are no ready-made therapy regimens. That is, in each individual case, its own set of procedures is selected, which depends on the type and severity of the pathological condition.
Therapy uses breathing exercises, therapeutic exercises, herbal medicine, massage.
Features of the development of the disease in adults
It should be noted that the presented disease can manifest itself not only in children. There are cases of diagnosing mutism even in adults. The cause of such a pathological condition is an organic brain lesion or severe mental disorders (shocks).
Men suffer from this pathology less frequently than women. Representatives of the weaker sex may experience hysterical mutism. The fact is that women are more sensitive and emotional. They have a natural predisposition to be overly impulsive.
Advice to parents
In order for the little patient to quickly overcome the pathology, adults should help him. If children are diagnosed with selective mutism, the advice to parents is:
- You should not show your concern to the baby, otherwise he will withdraw into himself even more.
- We need to help him believe in himself, that the baby will be able to speak when he is ready for it.
- Every positive desire of the baby to contact with other people, peers should be encouraged.
- Parents should not show surprise if the baby first started talking and then stopped.
- In any case, adults should show their love, attention and support to the child. Naturally, parents will have to be patient. Otherwise, all the efforts of specialists can be leveled. One careless word can destroy months of effort.
The healing process is not fast, but in no case should it be rushed.
Prognosis of pathology
Elective mutism in children has a positive prognosis in most cases. However, there is one caveat: everything will be fine if the symptoms of the disorder disappear within a year after the onset.
Otherwise, silence can become a habit and become part of personality development. That is, this disease can remain with the child even after he grows up. That's all the features of this disease. Stay he althy!
