selective mutism

[si-lek-tiv myoo-tiz-uhm]

noun

Psychiatry.

1. an anxiety disorder characterized by the inability to speak in certain social environments, most commonly occurring in young children, especially in school.

Word History and Origins

Origin of selective mutism¹

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

I was probably about 2 or 3 then, just trying to blab, because the early nurses I had when I was a kid had said that I had delayed speech or something called “selective mutism.”

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She also has selective mutism, driven by anxiety.

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Richard Littler KC, representing Ratcliffe, had told the court the teenager had been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder and selective mutism.

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Selective mutism can start at any age but most often begins in early childhood between the ages of two and four.

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Experts regard selective mutism as a fear or phobia of talking to certain people, the cause is not always clear, but is associated with anxiety.

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