Selective Mutism is a childhood anxiety disorder.
Severe social anxiety apprears to be the underlying cause, and most notable is the child's inability to speak in social situations even though they demonstrate in comfortable situations that they both understand and are capable of speech.
Most of these children are classified by others as being "just shy", but SM is much more than shyness, and left untreated can have negative long-term effects on a child's social and academic functioning.
Many children are identified as being Selectively Mute after they encounter situations in school where they are expected to speak but are unable to.
There is help for these children and their families!
SMCanada is holding a workshop on May 14, 2005, in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
Guest speakers include child psychiatrist Dr. Deborah Reisner, art and family therapist Nicola Sherwin-Roller, pharmacist Brenda Yuzdepski, craniosacral therapist Linda Fisher, as well as Shannon Panchyshyn for SMCanada.
Workshop topics include: obtaining an accurate diagnosis and finding treatment for your child, helping your child understand anxiety, anger management for children, collaborating with your therapist, SSRI medication – making informed decisions, physical symptoms of stress, craniosacral therapy and other natural methods of stress relief, finding the support and resources that you need, all about SM, what to do while you’re on the waiting list, Sensory Integration Disorder and occupational therapy, Canadian services and research, success at school, and how SMCanada can help.
The workshop content is of interest to parents and extended family, teachers and school staff, daycare and childcare workers, psychologists, family therapists, social workers, university students, and anyone with an interest in learning to understand this exceptional group of children. Together, we invite participants to look beyond the silence into the depths of this childhood anxiety disorder.
The beautiful surroundings and retreat atmosphere of Cedar Lodge will allow families to get to know one another and find much needed support.
It is hard to describe the sense of isolation that I felt in the first several years of dealing with my daughter’s SM. I knew that people were trying to understand what was happening with Jaiden, but at the same time realized that many truly weren’t getting it. It was an incredible experience to meet other parents and children at the SMG~CAN family retreat in Baltimore last summer, and to know that I was among people who really understood what we were going through. I came away with a strong support network and new friendships, and my daughter came away with a new sense of self-confidence that shone through in everything that she did. The family aspect of the conference was invaluable, and we hope to create the same supportive atmosphere for families at our workshop in May.
As part of the workshop, we will share the story of our daughter’s challenges with SM. “A year ago, Jaiden was only able to speak with a handful of people, and every day posed a struggle. Working closely with Jaiden’s school staff, we used a variety of techniques which allowed her to experience tremendous success this year. It is impossible to express the feeling of pride and joy that I feel each morning now, as I watch Jaiden head happily off to school where she is now comfortable speaking with all staff and students. My personal goal is to help other families find the help they need to achieve this level of success with their children.
The mandate of SMCanada is to provide education and support to families facing the unique challenges of Selective Mutism. The group intends to apply for charitable status so that funds raised can be used to directly assist families with treatment.
For information regarding the SMCanada workshop please contact:
Shannon Panchyshyn
(306) 862-9192
shanpan@sasktel.net www.selectivemutism.ca Please note: the website is in it's infancy and we are having some technical difficulties getting information posted at the moment! New information should appear on the site daily.
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