Selective Mutism Within the School Setting - Understanding, Evaluating and Accommodating

Workshops/presentations include the following topics:

• Definition of Selective Mutism and DSM-IV classification
• When to suspect SM?
• Relationship between social anxiety and Selective Mutism (research)
• Differential diagnosis of other childhood disorders (and how to differentiate)
• Precipitating factors into the development of SM  (i.e., inhibited temperament, S&L disorders, etc)
• Propagating factors for the persistence of SM (misdiagnosis, mismanagement, etc)
• Common characteristics of children with Selective Mutism
• Subtypes of SM. (Ie, speech phobia, bilingual, speech/lang problems, etc)
  • How to differentiate
  • Effect on classroom accommodations
• Photo examples of SM children (autistic or SM? Defiant or SM?) and/or Video examples of SM children
  • Noticing 'SM traits'
• How Selective Mutism presents in a 2-5 yr old 6-10 yr old 11 yr old- teen--->Adult
  • How classroom accommodations ( and child's needs!) change with age
  • Key to an early diagnosis/treatment
  • Negative ramifications of untreated anxiety

Understanding Selective Mutism as a Social Communication Anxiety Disorder

• Details of Stages of communication, Use of the SM-Stages of Communication Scale (SM-SCCS)
• "How to assess' communication stage
• How to effectively evaluate/assess the 'silent child' 
  • Who should evaluate? evaluation approach
  • Recognizing anxiety level, etc.
  • Evaluation tips, what should be included in an evaluation/assessments
• Academic Testing of the SM child (Common pitfalls!!)
  • Anxiety and effects on testing (ie, inaccurate testing ( how do you know?) and school placement
• Learning disabled and SM, etc
• Developmentally delayed and SM
• Speech/Lang disorder and SM
• Classroom accommodations within the school setting
  • IEP vs 504 ( and when necessary)
    • Special Education Classification
    • Mainstream vs 'Special education' classroom setting
    • Examples of classroom accommodations
                          -Role of classroom aide/wrap-a-round
• Role of the school professionals (ie, school psychologist/counselor, SLP, etc)
• Role of the classroom teacher (how to 'help' Common mistakes, assessing knowledge)
• What should be included in an individualized treatment plan
• Helping the child assess/acknowledge their 'difficulty'
• Communication tactics/techniques for Stage 0, Stage 1, Stage 2
  • Nonverbal responding/initiating
  • Verbal responding/initiating
• Importance of socializing, small groups, and 'listening to the child'
• Working as team ( and how to do this) treating professional, school treating prof, teacher, parent, child
  • School working with parents
    • Addressing the parent in denial
    • Addressing the 'overly anxious' parent
• Medication information (common medications for SM, side effects to be aware of, how side effects manifest in the classroom)
• Case examples
• Questions/answer session