Helping Your Child, Treatment

How Shaping is Used to Treat Selective Mutism

Shaping provides reinforcement for any attempt at communication, starting with gestures or non-verbal communication that is gradually shaped to audible speech. It may include gestures, mouthing, making noises, making letter sounds and eventually leads to the child speaking words and sentences. Advantages Bridges the gap between nonverbal and verbal communication. Makes use of many types… Continue reading How Shaping is Used to Treat Selective Mutism

Helping Your Child, The Basics, Treatment

Treating Selective Mutism – What Works?

How do you get a child to talk who is literally frozen with fear, or who has been silent so long that they have become an expert mime? The answer may seem elusive, but it is not as complicated as you may think. Effective treatment lies in decreasing the child's anxiety and gradually exposing them… Continue reading Treating Selective Mutism – What Works?