Anxiety.org Get Help
  • What Is Anxiety?
  • Do I Have Anxiety?
  • Anxiety Treatments
  • Online Therapy
Selective Mutism Quiz:

Does My Child Have Selective Mutism?

Selective mutism is an anxiety disorder that affects young children and can be a result of many factors but it can also be successfully treated. Take our shyness quiz to see if they may be suffering from selective mutism.

Prepared By: Lindsay Scharfstein, Ph.D.

Answer the questions below and then click "Submit Results"

Take Our Quiz: Is it Shyness or Selective Mutism?

Question 1:
Does your child/student have difficulty talking to new people, despite having some time to ‘warm-up’ to the person or the situation?
*Please answer the following question before moving on.
Question 2:
Does your child/student freely verbalize and even appear ‘chatty’ at home, but is mostly or completely silent at school or around new peers or adults?
*Please answer the following question before moving on.
Question 3:
Does your child/student mostly or completely use nonverbal communication, like gestures, nodding, shrugging, or pointing, instead of speaking directly with others?
*Please answer the following question before moving on.
Question 4:
Does your child/student seem to ‘freeze’ and is silent when asked basic questions, like name, age, or grade, even when asked by an adult, relative, or classmate that he/she is familiar with?
*Please answer the following question before moving on.
Question 5:
Does your child/student avoid engaging verbally with adults or peers in other ways (e.g., talking about interests, answering questions in class, asking for help), even if he/she knows them and is otherwise comfortable with them?
*Please answer the following question before moving on.
Question 6:
Do classmates, friends and/or adults refer to your child/student as someone who ‘does not speak?’
*Please answer the following question before moving on.
Question 7:
Do these issues make it hard for your child/student to make friends (e.g. ask others to play), participate in the classroom (e.g., answer questions, ask for help), and get his/her needs met (e.g., ask to use the bathroom, tell an adult if hurt or in pain)?
*Please answer the following question before moving on.
Question 8:
Have these issues lasted longer than 1 month (if it is the first month of school) or longer than 6 months (if it is the first year attending school)?
*Please answer the following question before moving on.

Disclaimer: Anxiety.org does not endorse or provide any medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical or mental health condition and cannot be substituted for the advice of physicians, licensed professionals, or therapists who are familiar with your specific situation. Consult a licensed medical professional or call 911, if you are in need of immediate assistance. Furthermore, the information reflects the opinions of the author alone and not those of the author’s employer or Anxiety.org. For more information, please carefully read our Privacy Policy and the Terms and Conditions of Use.

You answered Yes to question(s).

If you answered yes to 3 or more of these questions, your child/student might have selective mutism or symptoms of anxiety. Selective mutism is an anxiety disorder in which children do not speak in school, extracurricular or community activities, sports, etc., despite speaking at home or in other settings. The good news is that selective mutism can be successfully treated with cognitive behavioral therapy, which will help you and your child/student to learn how to effectively manage speaking anxiety in social situations. If you or your child/student are experiencing any of the above symptoms, and they are negatively interfering in daily life, it might be time to seek help.

This material is not a substitute for the advice of a licensed professional. To begin your search for a mental health professional, go to the ADAA's Therapist Directory or Selective Mutism Association.

What is Selective Mutism? SM Treatments Online Help

Disclaimer: Anxiety.org does not endorse or provide any medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical or mental health condition and cannot be substituted for the advice of physicians, licensed professionals, or therapists who are familiar with your specific situation. Consult a licensed medical professional or call 911, if you are in need of immediate assistance. Furthermore, the information reflects the opinions of the author alone and not those of the author’s employer or Anxiety.org. For more information, please carefully read our Privacy Policy and the Terms and Conditions of Use.

Anxiety.org Logo

Company

About Us Contact Us Terms of Use Privacy Policy

Explore

Anxiety Treatment Anxiety Disorders Anxiety Research Anxiety Experts Find An Online Therapist

Disorders

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Panic Disorder Selective Mutism Disorder Obsessive Compulsive Disorder Specific Phobias Generalized Anxiety Disorder Separation Anxiety Disorder Social Anxiety Disorder

Self Test

Anxiety Quiz Panic Disorder Test PTSD Test Selective Mutism Quiz

Grants and Funding: We proudly support the research and programs of 501(c)(3) non-profit organizations and institutions such as: the Anxiety Disorders program of the Jane & Terry Semel Institute for Neuroscience & Human Behavior at the University of California, Los Angeles; the Pacific Institute of Medical Research; the International Foundation for Research and Education on Depression (iFred); and SchoolsForHope.org, an iFred educational project. Working with these partners enables Anxiety.org to extend its commitment to its mission. All the donations received, as well as 100% of Anxiety.org revenue in 2021, will be contributed to build, develop, and further the understanding, investigation, discovery, and treatment of the full spectrum of anxiety and related disorders.

Disclaimer: Anxiety.org does not endorse or provide any medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition and cannot be substituted for the advice of physicians, licensed professionals, or therapists who are familiar with your specific situation. Consult a licensed medical professional or call 911, if you are in need of immediate assistance. Furthermore, the information reflects the opinions of the author alone and not those of the author’s employer or Anxiety.org. For more information, please carefully read our Privacy Policy and the Terms and Conditions of Use.

© 1999-2021 Consumer Brands LLC, ALL RIGHTS RESERVED