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keyworker or verbal intermediary, which increases to include more people
Suggested reading
and varied places. Anxiety scales also vary and may include numbers from
zero to five, with zero being very easy and five being very difficult, or Johnson M & Wintgens A, 2001, The Selective Mutism Resource Manual,
pictures such as a big smile, denoting lower anxiety, to a worried face, Speechmark Publishing, Brackley.
denoting higher anxiety. Shipon-Blum E, 2003, The Ideal Classroom Setting for the Selectively
All of this takes time and a lot of small steps belore verbalization Mute Child, Self-published.
actually occurs. Patience is key. The earlier selective mutism is diagnosed Kervatt, Gail, 1999, The Silence Within, Sell-published.
and treated, the easier the transition from non-communication to verbal
communication will be.
Other organizations
For parents of a child with selective mutism, this book is intended to
give hope that there is someone like Ryan out there who will be a kind and SMIRA (Selective Mutism Information and Research Association),
understanding friend to your child. For parents whose children attend class 13 Humberstone Drive, Leicester, LE5 ORE, UK
with a child who is extremely shy or email: smira.leicester@ntlworld.com
suffering from selective mutism,
perhaps your child could be that friend! It is important for parents to SMG-CAN (Selective Mutism Group-Childhood Anxiety Network),
realize that getting help for their child in the setting where anxiety is most www.selectivemutism.org
prevalent, namely school, is necessary in order to overcome this. The Selective Mutism Foundation Inc, PO Box 13133, Sissonville.
Lastly, for the child who has selective mutism, this book may initially ww 25360-0133, USA
arouse negative emotions, reminding them of the fact that they are, in fact, Freedom from Fear, 308 Seaview Ave, Staten Island, New York 10305 USA
unable to speak in school. However, having this book on hand during their Phone: (718) 351-1717, fi@aol.com
recovery allows the child to read the book in its ASHA (American Speech-Language-Hearing Association), www.asha.org
entirety or to skim only a
few pages, while coming back to the topic as they begin to feel more
comfortable. The choice is theirs!

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