How do I know if my child cannot produce adequate speech (expressive language problem) or will not produce speech (selective mutism)?
A child with an expressive language problem is not able to speak with the skill expected for his age and developmental level. Most children will speak more freely in familiar settings, and may exhibit some reticence when under stress or in new situations, but will speak at the same level of skill. A child with an expressive language disorder is not able to voluntarily elevate his level of speech in a given setting, such as at home, in school or in other settings. A child with selective mutism does not have any deficits in his ability to compose verbal responses, and generally will demonstrate this at home. A child with selective mutism, however, does not speak at all in certain settings, usually public settings such as in school. Selective mutism is believed to be a form of social anxiety disorder, in which a child whose language skills are normal, is too fearful to use verbal expression in public. An excessive fear of being criticized, judged or humiliated leads to a child adapting a
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