Selective Mutism
Selective Mutism is a complex childhood anxiety disorder characterized by a child’s inability to speak and communicate effectively in select social settings, such as school. These children are able to speak and communicate in settings where they are comfortable, secure, and relaxed.
Cluster Number:
Wiki Number: PW200
Diagnosis: Selective Mutism
US Patients:
World Patients: .71 of 1% in 2002
Sex Ratio:
Age Onset: early childhood
Brain Area: amygdalas may become over-excited and this is a fight-flight response;
Symptoms: anxiety where people cannot speak in specific situations or places or to specific persons along with a social anxiety disorder.
Progression: Gets worse with age, contributing to depression, further anxiety and other social and emotional problems
Causes: some have experienced trauma; others, not
Medications: An SSRI, fluoxetine, has helped some children.
Therapies: Only change schools if the new one will be more supportive. Different techniques are described in the Wikipedia article.
Youtube Video: Evidence-Based Treatment for Selective Mutism
Amazon or Library Book:
The Selective Mutism Treatment Guide
Amazon or Library Book:
Raising Voices
Click the book to link or order from Amazon.
Click the book to link or order from Amazon.
4 CURRENT ARTICLES
FROM PUBMED
The world-wide medical research
reports chosen for each diagnosis
Clicking each title opens the
PubMed article’s summary-abstract.
- Proceedings of the first global meeting of the Posterior Fossa Society: state of the art in cerebellar mutism syndromeby Karin S Walsh on April 22, 2024
CONCLUSIONS: Based on data-driven evidence and discussions, each special interest group created research priorities to target before the second global meeting, in the spring of 2024.
- Catatonia and Opioid Withdrawal: A Case Reportby Synthia Lay on April 18, 2024
In this case report, we present an 82-year-old female who was diagnosed with catatonia after she exhibited immobility, mutism, withdrawal, and stereotypy during a hospitalization for altered mental status. Fentanyl was found in her urine toxicology, and it was later discovered that she had been taking non-prescription pills from Mexico that were likely the source of the fentanyl. Her catatonia quickly remitted with benzodiazepine treatment. This case underscores previously unknown risks of...
- Volumetric segmentation in the context of posterior fossa-related pathologies: a systematic reviewby Andrew J Kobets on April 18, 2024
CONCLUSIONS: Various forms of segmentation techniques have been used to assess posterior fossa volumes/pathologies and each has its advantages and disadvantages. We discuss these nuances and summarize the current state of literature in the context of posterior fossa-associated pathologies.
- Catatonia associated with pediatric postoperative cerebellar mutism syndromeby Walter Jaimes-Albornoz on April 17, 2024
CONCLUSION: Catatonia was frequent in this PPCMS sample, with a predominant stuporous variant; it should be considered in patients with PPCMS and assessed with reliable and validated instruments for prompt diagnosis and management.