The Visitors Book from Selective Mutism

debnet Moderated by debnet

I hope my lens has raised your awareness of Selective Mutism & that you have found it interesting. Please leave some comments!

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  • Reply
    aj2008 aj2008 Nov 24, 2009 @ 9:23 am
    Just back to let you know that The Children and Parenting Group has survived all the recent changes on Squidoo and is now a Lensography! This lens is featured at Children and Parenting HQ.

    And of course it gives me the chance to re-bless this excellent lens!
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    kimmanleyort kimmanleyort Jun 18, 2009 @ 8:34 am
    What a fabulous and informative lens!
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    Rob Cormier Rob Cormier Jun 15, 2009 @ 1:14 pm
    Your case study was very interesting. You did an excellent job!

    R Cormier
    www.selectivemutism.ca
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    Heather426 Heather426 Jun 9, 2009 @ 12:02 pm
    Great lens about a subject that only a few know about. I was voluntarily mute from age 2-4 because I was traumatized by my father's leaving for Korea...5*
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    CherylK CherylK May 26, 2009 @ 10:01 am
    I'm so impressed with your writing, Deb. This was easy to read and so informative. I enjoyed reading about your week by week progress and happy that it all went well in the end.
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    spirituality spirituality May 21, 2009 @ 7:58 am
    Great lens - you've been blessed by a squidoo angel :)
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    aj2008 aj2008 May 20, 2009 @ 4:51 am
    This is such an amazing lens. You have put so much work into it. I am very proud that you chose to submit it to the Children and Parenting Group and here's a Blessing in recognition of not just a great lens but also a Lensmaster who takes her time to produce such original work ;)
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    Linda Meaker Linda Meaker May 8, 2009 @ 4:33 am
    My 6 year old son suffers from selective mutism, I am struggeling to find the correct therapist to help him. I live in Gordon's Bay Cape Town South Africa. If anyone knows of who I can contact - it would be appreciated!!!
    I can be contacted in lindameaker@yahoo.com

    Thanks for the article, it's amazing of how many things ring true. I am lucky to have a very understanding grade 1 teacher. She has told Aaron to speak when he is ready and tries not to pressurise him. His grades are however taking a bit of strain. He does communicate, with nods, shakes and he answers his maths with showing fingers.
    I want to help my son so badly.....Frustration is an understatement!
    Dropping him off at school is the "clinging" stage, and he cries when he sees his teacher, BUT he settles down after 2 minutes and resumes school work.
    He will not even ask to go to the bathroom and he either holds it in or starts crying, then she has to guess what the matter is. She has become pretty good at it.
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    sittonbull sittonbull May 1, 2009 @ 10:37 am
    What an amazing lens on a subject I knew very little about. Thank you for sharing and for adding this to the plexo of my lens.
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    debnet debnet Apr 18, 2009 @ 4:20 am | in reply to RickyRobi
    Thank you for being so open and sharing your experiences with us. I hope you continue to progress and overcome your difficulties. Best wishes for your future.
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    RickyRobi RickyRobi Apr 17, 2009 @ 8:07 pm
    I was selectively mute as a child and didn't speak to anyone not in my immediate family until I was about 8. I slowly...very slowly started speaking to others. I had to physically make myself speak. The teachers never understood. It is from anxiety. I was SO afraid of doing the wrong thing. I have a great fear of doing things wrong. I have had to "train" myself to get over this fear. I have all the traits you have listed. I am over 30 years old and still suffer and have trouble communicating face to face. There are just some gaps in how I learned to communicate. I don't seem to converse in the same steps that others do. I see it, and just can't figure out how to teach myself these missing steps, yet. I'm working on it. I have gotten over communication on the phone with strangers as I have been working in a call center environment for 12 years. I have trouble communicating on the phone with family and friends. I can only speak to them comfortably in person.
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    Pastiche Pastiche Apr 17, 2009 @ 7:21 am
    This is a fascinating lens about a topic I had not really explored previously. You've created a good platform for discussion as well as raised awareness about the problem. It's heartening to witness the devotion of educators like yourself who work with troubled and disabled children. Bless you...
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    funwithtrains funwithtrains Apr 5, 2009 @ 10:38 pm
    Great lens!
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    JaguarJulie JaguarJulie Mar 21, 2009 @ 3:59 pm
    Deb, you are such an inspiration -- this is quite a remarkable lens -- to read about the steps you took in your case study.
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    maehb maehb Mar 6, 2009 @ 11:56 pm
    This is an excellent blog. I will definitely recommend it once I am able to post videos again on youtube.
    by the way, I'm honored you posted my selective mutism vid on your blog. It just so happens to be the first video on this page.

    Thanks
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    Sylviane_Nuccio Sylviane_Nuccio Feb 21, 2009 @ 8:24 pm
    Very interesting lens, full of information. I love those informative lenses on no so common subjects. Bravo and 5* for you!
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    ekta1007 ekta1007 Feb 6, 2009 @ 6:00 pm
    I loved the poem (Kim), didn't want to skip through it.Pinch me if I do not get back here . It is 5:30 am in morning here,and I need to go to sleep !

    ~
    ek
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    Teddi14 Teddi14 Jan 24, 2009 @ 8:47 pm
    A visitor to my lens about special education was looking for information on mutism-- so I am glad you added the link to this lens on mine so he could find this!
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    aj2008 aj2008 Jan 18, 2009 @ 11:25 am
    Deb, someone posted a thread on the Mumsnet forum about Selective Mutism, I have suggested they visit this lens.
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    RobC RobC Jan 14, 2009 @ 7:17 am
    I forgot the URL http://smsg.baseman.ca

    Thank you
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    RobC RobC Jan 14, 2009 @ 7:16 am
    Excellent material! I have an on-line support group forum for Selective Mutism, feel free to check it out. It would be nice to have some new members to stir up more conversation again.
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    CDT CDT Dec 11, 2008 @ 1:17 pm
    Excellent lens...In a past life I was a SEN Teaching Assistant and one of the children I worked with was a Selective Mute...it's great to know that there are people out there like you who go the extra mile...
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    Joan4 Joan4 Dec 8, 2008 @ 9:11 am
    Fascinating to read your notes and watch your progress with this child. Excellent!
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    dannystaple dannystaple Dec 5, 2008 @ 2:03 am
    This lens was thoroughly worth reading through to the end. The account of the sessions is very informative. This is a top lens!
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    debnet debnet Nov 30, 2008 @ 10:29 am | in reply to Debcam
    Hi Debcam, I'm glad you've found my work useful with your case study. This is one reason I wrote about it, to share good practise and help others.
    As for the child you mention, I don't think anyone could give you an answer to that without some kind of formal assesment on the child. If you're concerned, then maybe a chat with your link E.P., or even the O.T., if her fine motor skills are a problem.
    Good luck with the case study!!
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    Debcam Debcam Nov 30, 2008 @ 10:21 am
    It´s an extremely informative lens. I´m just beginning to research Selective Mutism for my case study and yours was the first I came up with. I normally scan sites first then read, but I found yours so interesting I stayed to read it! Well done.

    I´m a PGCE student and have a selective mute child in my class and I am observing her for the case study. I have noticed (apart from the above criteria on Selective Mute) that she has extremely poor motor skills. She is 7 yrs old, would you say there´s a connection to her disorder?

    Thanks!
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    LH LH Nov 29, 2008 @ 9:45 pm | in reply to debnet
    Thank you. It's hard for me.
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    HypnoTrance HypnoTrance Nov 27, 2008 @ 12:15 pm
    Hi
    An amazing lens on a litte know condition. Well done!
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    leacharlton leacharlton Nov 26, 2008 @ 8:20 am
    A friend of mine has a child (under 5) that has selective mutism. The child is beginning to speak ... this has been extremely frustrating for their family. Thank you for this detailed and informative lens.
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    ElizabethJeanAllen ElizabethJeanAllen Nov 21, 2008 @ 3:23 pm
    Wonderful lens! Very informative.
    5*
    and thank you for your kind comments on my Say Something Nice lens.
    Lizzy
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    debnet debnet Nov 13, 2008 @ 2:37 am
    Thank you for sharing your experiences with us. I hope things go well for you. Debnet.[in reply to LH]
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    LH LH Nov 12, 2008 @ 11:35 pm
    I choose to be mutism because I don't hurt by friend again. Mutism is good for me so I won't be close friend then get hurt. Mutism is better than talkive.
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    Margaret_Schaut Margaret_Schaut Nov 12, 2008 @ 10:58 am
    I have seen this far more in the last ten years than I did in the previous decades of my entire life. I notice a connection to television and video games in the very young, but I'm not an expert. Well done page!
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    Jenysie Jenysie Nov 11, 2008 @ 6:57 pm
    Wow! What a wonderful job you have! You are very lucky, to get to help children! I've always wanted to do that, I guess in a way I do, I'm a stay-at-home mommy!
    Thanks for sharing your experiences with us!
    5*
    Sincerely,
    Jenysie
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    aj2008 aj2008 Oct 31, 2008 @ 5:05 pm
    I am so pleased that this lens is part of the
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    chefkeem chefkeem Oct 22, 2008 @ 11:22 pm
    You've been blessed by a Squid Angel for this outstanding lens!
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    thrivingmom thrivingmom Oct 3, 2008 @ 5:52 pm
    Great lens. My sister didn't talk until she was 5. My mom took her to the doctor at age 5 for a check up and the doctor asked my sister how she was doing and my mom answered. He then asked her how she liked school and my mom answered. The dr. told my mom that my sister was probably not talking because she was always speaking for her. My mom began encouraging my sister to speak for herself and she started talking!

    I gave you 5* -- great lens topic and very well done.
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    EelKat EelKat Sep 20, 2008 @ 1:07 pm
    I was a child who did not talk and am today an adult who continues to speak only on rare occasions (See here for more info: http://www.squidoo.com/EelKat#module11628432 ). From being such a person myself, I know how very hard it is to be around others, because so few are willing to make any attempt to understand you and most would rather resort to teasing, bullying, and name calling. For me, I'm not speech impaired or traumatized, (two very common myths about people like me) I just find talking a complete and total waste of time. I prefer to focus my physical energy on more worthwhile pursuits.
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    mulberry mulberry Aug 27, 2008 @ 9:42 am
    A very good find for anyone interested in such topics (such as myself), excellent depth!
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    RinchenChodron RinchenChodron Aug 27, 2008 @ 8:23 am
    Excellent lens!!! ***** - I think the text is extensive and this may both increase ratings and decrease interest. Most internet cruisers don't read this much, but such a unique case. I'm sure parents, teachers and others who know a child with this syndrome will find this fascinating at did I.
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    Evelyn_Saenz Evelyn_Saenz Aug 16, 2008 @ 11:38 pm
    Although I had run across selective mutism in fiction I had not really thought about how to deal with it as a teacher. You have put together an amazing lens.

    What an inspirational lens!

    Teachers touch each of our lives in amazing ways. I'd love to have you add this lens to the plexo on my lens Teachering from the Heart.

    Also, please consider joining the Unit Studies: Fun, Active, and Creative Learning
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    tdove tdove Jul 28, 2008 @ 2:54 pm
    Thanks for joining G Rated Lense Factory!
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    OhMe OhMe Jul 28, 2008 @ 1:20 pm
    Very well done and informative. 5*
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    aj2008 aj2008 Jul 24, 2008 @ 6:12 am
    Brilliant and fascinating lens. I had heard of the condition but your case study makes for very informative reading. 5*
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    aj2008 aj2008 Jul 24, 2008 @ 6:05 am
    What a fascinating lens! As the mother of four, in my experience there's a lot of conditions/problems with children that, when you look at the whole picture, are caused or contributed to by external factors. I appreciate you have to be careful about what you say in any Case Study such as this, but would be interested to know if Selective Mutism is something that can strike any child, regardless of their family life and other circumstances or if the condition is the symptom of an underlying cause.

    Whatever the reasons, I would assume that the degree of success in helping children with Selective Mutism is utterly dependent on the level of co-operation and support you get from the school and the family.
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    Webcodes Webcodes Jul 21, 2008 @ 11:11 am
    Thank you for this 5*. Fascinating article. You are a true inspiration. Thank you again.
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    GypsyOwl GypsyOwl Jul 17, 2008 @ 3:07 pm
    5* IS NOT enough. This is an exceptional, well researched, very well written, and very helpful lens. Thank you for your compassionate approach to this very important topic.
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    lens4Him lens4Him Jul 17, 2008 @ 10:01 am
    Extremely well put together lens about a topic I knew absolutely nothing about. 5*
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    Spook Spook Jul 16, 2008 @ 12:23 pm
    Fascinating and the first time I've ever heard of this
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    RedSportNiac RedSportNiac Jul 9, 2008 @ 11:53 am
    Nice work. Thanks for sharing all these useful information. It helps us bit in understanding the silent world. Well done.
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    LaraineRose LaraineRose Jul 9, 2008 @ 3:52 am
    Debbie, I worked at a facility for children with problems, "Jack Ledger House" in Victoria, B.C. I was one of the support staff for the school department. I found your transcript interesting and it brought back memories of some of the dear little children there. So many problems/so few solutions, but the main thing was the effort, thought and time the staff put into finding solutions. Thank you for posting this lens. I look forward to reading more from you. Have a great time in Florida! 5 stars, fan, favorite & lensroll.
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    Keytohealth Keytohealth Jul 4, 2008 @ 10:04 pm
    This Lens has great insight and hopefully will help many parents as to how to help their child. As you pointed out many practitioners are pro or against using psychiatric medications on children. I have a lens called
    PsychotropicDrugsKillingMachine - I know the title of the lens is aggressive but it's the truth. Thank you so much for this great
    lens.
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    Katrine Katrine Jul 3, 2008 @ 2:58 pm
    Thanks Debbie for sharing this with us. It has given me a lot of food for thought!
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    dawn c. dawn c. Jul 2, 2008 @ 4:54 pm
    wow, what a powerful piece of work! i was hooked on reading your session work. what a rollercoaster of emotions you must of experienced. but, what an outcome! well done debbie, loved your lens.
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    Gordon_Hamilton Gordon_Hamilton Jul 1, 2008 @ 3:42 am
    Wow, this is a subject upon which I know absolutely abouyt but I read it in full and can clearly see how much work, attention and love has gone into creating this lens. Very well done. 5*
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    Eileeen Eileeen Jun 30, 2008 @ 12:14 pm
    A great piece Debbie. Thank you for opening my eyes to the subject. Seems you have worked very hard with this child. We often dismiss things that go on in our childrens lives, then in adult hood the problems spoil their lives.
    Very well done Debbie.
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    blujeanmomma blujeanmomma Jun 30, 2008 @ 9:13 am
    Very nice lens about a subject that I knew little about (except for a few news stories). It's nice that you are bringing awareness to this highly misunderstood subject. 5****
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    charlino charlino Jun 30, 2008 @ 9:12 am
    Excellent and informative.
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    Jimmie Jimmie Jun 29, 2008 @ 9:16 am
    Wow. Incredible content here. I know this will be helpful to parents and teachers.
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    JohnNilsen1108 JohnNilsen1108 Jun 27, 2008 @ 10:26 pm
    Great little lense for newbies to model,gave you 5 stars, let me know what you think of my lense.
    Robin Quivers Weight Loss Diet
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    Comfortdoc Comfortdoc Jun 27, 2008 @ 6:00 pm
    Thank you for lensrolling the Loss, Grief & Bereavement lens. Please add your Selective Mutism lens to the Grief & Loss Club, http://www.squidoo.com/groups/grief-and-loss-club.
    Well done.
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    triathlontraining triathlontraining Jun 27, 2008 @ 1:37 pm
    Huh! I'd never heard of that before. It's always nice to learn something new. :)
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    debnet debnet Jun 27, 2008 @ 1:29 pm
    Thank you all for your comments on my first work related Lens. I still have a lot to do on here, so please keep checking back to see where I've got too.

    Flashfink, thank you for sharing your experience with us. I can only begin to imagine how frightening things must have been for you.

    Debbie
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    Flashfink Flashfink Jun 26, 2008 @ 9:54 pm
    I suffered from this when I was a kid but didn't know it had a name until recently. The worst part of it was that when the other kids knew they could bully me and take my things away from me (I was pushed down stairs a couple of times) and that I wouldn't tell an adult about it.
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    beeobrien beeobrien Jun 26, 2008 @ 7:21 pm
    A wonderful start on this lens. Powerful subject.
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    poddys poddys Jun 26, 2008 @ 6:25 am
    This is very nice for one of your first lenses, great job. This is a very important topic that very few people know a lot about. 5*****
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    grassosalvato86 grassosalvato86 Jun 25, 2008 @ 11:55 am
    This is an important topic for a lens, and what an impotant mission you've got dealing with these children. 5 stars

Selective Mutism See more at Selective Mutism