Selective Mutism In Our Own Words: Experiences in Childhood and Adulthood

Sutton and Forrester explore selective mutism, a situational anxiety disorder of communication, focusing on the experience of the children, adolescents, and adults who suffer from it and the experience of people they encounter. Among their topics are early life and selective mutism, parents' experience of high school and home-schooling, bullying, those who spoke for me, a teacher's experience of helping a child find her voice, how different life would have been without selective mutism, and life stories. Annotation ©2016 Ringgold, Inc., Portland, OR (protoview.com)
An eye-opening and enlightening collection of stories from people living with Selective Mutism (SM), this book provides a much-needed platform for people with SM to share experiences of the condition in their own words. Exploring all aspects of SM, from symptoms and diagnostic criteria, to triggers and the consequences of being psychologically unable to speak, the stories in this book dispel the myths around this often misunderstood condition. Far from refusing to talk, or choosing not to, the contributors offer genuine insights into why they simply cannot speak in certain situations or in front of certain people. Children, teens and adults from the UK and US share experiences of feeling isolated, struggling at school, and finding ways to communicate. Letting people with SM know that they are not alone with the condition, the book will also help family, friends and professionals to understand what it is like to live with SM.