Selective mutism
Definition
Selective mutism is a childhood disorder in which a child does not speak in some social situations although he or she is able to talk normally at other times.
Description
Selective mutism was first described in the 1870s, at which time it was called "aphasia voluntaria." This name shows that the absence of speech was considered to be under the control of the child's will. In 1934 the disorder began to be called selective mutism, a name that still implied purposefulness on the part of the silent child. In the 1994 edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) the disorder was renamed selective mutism. This name is considered preferable because it suggests that the child is mute only in certain situations, without the...
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