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Diagnosing and Treating Selective Mutism
By: Ruth Perednik
Date: December 20, 2020
Time: 18:30 - 21:30 IST
11:30-14:30 EST
Location: Online

Selective Mutism is an anxiety disorder in which the child or teen is unable to speak in certain social situations despite having the ability to both understand and use language. It causes social distress and disrupts functioning, and is usually treatable by cognitive-behavioral interventions.

The workshop presents a clinical picture of children with selective mutism, considering how it is caused, common characteristics of children with SM and how it can be effectively treated by therapists, parents and teachers.

The workshop includes:

  • Diagnosing SM: How SM presents in the classroom or kindergarten; early signs of SM.
  • Short videos illustrating characteristics and treatment methods of SM
  • Etiology: genetic factors, characteristic traits, comorbid disorders, environmental factors that act as triggers for SM, maintaining factors.
  • Therapy: we will go through components of therapy which is integrative – including therapists, parents and teachers. We will discuss preventative interventions and high-risk populations.
  • Older children and teens: therapy for young people, differential characteristics and prognosis of teenagers with SM.
  • Guidance for parents of children with SM
  • Guidance and behavior shaping schedules for teachers
  • Overview of up to date research on treating SM
  • Discussion with the workshop participants about their experience with children who have SM.
Dr. Dani Kahn