Selective Mutism in Early Childhood

Abstract

Selective mutism (SM) is a relatively uncommon disorder in childhood, occurring in only 0.3 to 1.8 children per thousand. In early childhood, diagnosing SM can be particularly challenging, and the condition often goes unrecognized until the school years. Given the potential comorbidity of anxiety and communication deficits, treatment can be challenging and attendance in early childhood educational programs allows intervention in a contextually sensitive way that may also help address comorbidities and promote generalization. Thus, this case study of an African American preschool boy highlights the unique obstacles and opportunities of assessment and treatment in a preschool setting. Furthermore, we describe a three-step behavioral approach to addressing SM in collaboration with educators over a 3-month period. Substantive research indicates that early intervention with SM is associated with decreased likelihood of developing an anxiety-related disorder later in childhood; therefore, tailored assessment and intervention in early childhood within a community-based setting may be extremely useful.