The holiday season is here! While the holidays are often a time for joy and celebration, they may also present some challenges for children with selective mutism (SM). Below are some helpful tips for supporting children with SM during this holiday season.

Going back to school can be an exciting time for some students and their families, but can be a period of anticipation and worry for others. The latter has been the case for more students lately, as the last year and a half has changed the meaning of “back to school.” Feeling anxious about this upcoming change and the uncertainty of what school will look like this fall is typical. There are ways you can help your child cope and adjust with this upcoming change.

It’s natural and appropriate for all young children to feel separation anxiety while separating from their caregivers. Children long to be close to their caregivers and separating from them threatens their sense of security, which creates feelings of worry and distress. For some kiddos, the distress of separating from their caregiver becomes more severe, which can interfere with daily life. Often, this leaves caregivers feeling low on options and overwhelmed. Navigating separation anxiety is a balancing act of managing the child’s desire to be close while providing encouragement towards independence.

Selective Mutism (SM) is an anxiety disorder where a child is unable to speak in certain social situations, despite being able to talk in others. There is a noticeable and significant shift in a child’s speech across different settings.