A year before I started school, I developed selective mutism. My mouth felt emphatically numb in situations where I felt uncomfortable. The inability to find any words to speak became even more ...
Mother Joanna Stephenson (middle) has started a petition calling for more support for children with selective mutism, signed by hundreds of parents Parents say they are "angry" and "frustrated" that ...
Selective mutism is a condition in which a person can speak in some situations but not in others. For example, a child with selective mutism may speak at home but not at preschool or around strangers.
Belle* is six years old. Like many children, she is a playful and often boisterous child at home with her family. Unlike many children, she has an anxiety disorder which renders her speechless and ...
When Chelsea Jenkins’ 4-year-old daughter, Ava, was diagnosed with selective mutism in January 2026, the 33-year-old mother of four immediately began searching for treatment specialists in Montana ...
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With the clock ticking, Chelsea Jenkins tells PEOPLE that “early intervention matters more than most people realize,” especially with selective mutism Courtesy of Chelsea Jenkins After her daughter, ...
A local filmmaker produced a documentary about selective mutism, which has a higher prevalence among girls and children from bilingual households. As a journalist, I constantly speak to people.