Reply to Encouraging 7 year old to speak

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Reply to "Encouraging 7 year old to speak - suggestions?"

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]I think this is just normal behavior.  Yes, you should encourage your child, but many kids are like this.  I remember being 16 and having my first job at a store.  It was part of my job to great new customers -- omg --- it was so hard!  I had no trouble talking to teacher or other adults that I knew at school.... but I just wasn't in the habit of speaking to unknown, older adults.  Hard to do, but I had to do it.  I generally don't have a problem speaking up to anyone anymore -- probably to a fault!

We all admire the engaging little kids who can talk to anyone, but I think it's very normal for kids to be reticent with adults.  I think you just continue to encourage and to cultivate confidence in other ways.  Eventually she will come around.

NO -- to the people who think this is Asbergers or selective mutism!  [b]I know a girl with selective mutism... being shy with speaking to adults is NOT the same. [/b][/quote]

PP, selective mutism does not necessarily mean that a child who can speak refuses to speak in all circumstances.

"consistent failure to speak [b]in specific social situations[/b] (in which there is an expectation for speaking, such as at school) despite speaking in other situations."

So yes, it can be just in a particular setting (like school) or just with a particular group of people (kids or adults) not just no talking to anyone all the time.

Actually, OP's kid meets all of ASHA's criteria for selective mutism:

--not speaking interferes with school or work, or with social communication.
--lasts at least 1 month (not limited to the first month of school).
--failure to speak is not due to a lack of knowledge of, or comfort, with the spoken language required in the social situation
not due to a communication disorder (e.g., stuttering). It does not occur exclusively during the course of autism spectrum disorder, schizophrenia, or other psychotic disorder.

So this doesn't seem like just shyness.[/quote]

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