I Can Cure Selective Mutism!

Just kidding of course.

I have this one kiddo -- sad case. Traumatic brain injury (TBI) at 2 y/o (hit by a motorcycle!). Maybe it's power of suggestion, but I see some symptoms -- poor memory, cognitive impairments, possibly anomia and aphasia...on the other hand, it's impossible to know if the TBI "caused" his SLD, and whether he has anomia/aphasia or pure SLD. I could spend hours doing mental gymnastics trying to figure his history out but I guess it really doesn't matter.

All I know is that his previous SLP and current SDC teacher (who also had him last year) think he is selectively mute. He doesn't talk in class and it took a while for the kid to say a few words to the previous SLP.

I started seeing him in a group from the get-go, and sure he didn't talk...but I didn't think it was b/c he was selectively mute. I really thought that he just had no idea WTH anyone was talking about and what to say. It also didn't help that all of the girls wanted him to talk so they'd get on his case and put pressure on him. Heck, they even put pressure on me: "Make him talk!...Can you call him into our group? We want to hear him talk!" I decided to see him individually because he was way too behind, the girls were getting way out of hand and starting to get on his nerves, and vice-versa b/c he wouldn't talk.

Today I had an awesome day with him. During the past sessions, I've worked on prompting him to at least respond with, "I don't know" rather than just sitting there -- which he is notorious for doing, especially in his classroom, despite having a 1:1 aide. I typically ask him very simple questions and persistently wait for him to respond (i.e., I stare at him until he says something). In the past, his silence usually wins in the quiet power struggle so I started prompting him with verbal + visual ("If you don't know, then say 'I don't know,'" as I point to the "I don't know" visual card). That went on for a few sessions.

Today, I upped the ante and got rid of the verbal prompt and slightly pushed or touched the visual prompt whenever he seemed like he didn't know the answer. He'd pick up on the cue and say, "I don't know." Then partway through the session, he INDEPENDENTLY said, "I don't know." I was floored! Then he said it two more times independently!! I had a moment with my therapist self, especially since others thought he was selectively mute.

I was soOooOOoO proud of him that I high-fived him at the end of the session. He must've thought I was nuts and wondered why I was so excited. I don't care b/c he said I don't know! Persistence finally paid off in the quiet power struggle; the 3 times that he responded independently, I actually sat in silence and counted up to 30 in my head before he responded. (I don't think it's an auditory processing delay/disorder. At least I hope...).

I don't think anyone else could be as happy as I am about a student saying "I don't know"! (I'm also working on expanding it so that when he doesn't know something, then he asks for help/clarification/information.)