• SM strategy: - Plan conversation and Role Play
• Who: Amy, friends, other kids, grown-ups
• Location: public facility, Magic Town
• Environment: quiet, relaxed, lots of toys
• Worry Level: 2
• Purpose: a good way for Amy to practice and be familiar with having a conversation with others.
• What is Happening: Amy and her friends are at her house, role playing as doctors.

Strategy and Scene

• Plan the conversation:
• Write the question and answer, and read it.
• learn the joke and tell it
• Having the questions written down next to Amy is more comforting for her
• Even if she doesn’t use the sheet, she still has it there in case she forgets
• Example: Interview questions written on paper
• Favorite Pet, Book, Food, Season, Joke

Example:

• “Would you rather put a worm in your hamburger or a leaf?”
• “Knock knock, who’s there. Boo! Boo who? Well it’s nothing to cry about!”
• Role play: doctor and patient
• Amy can talk with her friends and act in the role because she is not herself, but a different character.
• “What is your problem?”
• “Does your head hurt?”
• “Does it hurt if you put pressure there?”

Keep the Conversation Going

• “Is the patient healthy?” “Do I have to get a shot?” (yes/no question)
• “Do I have the flu or a cold?” (choice question)
• “Can you touch your nose? Touch your eye? Touch your toes?”

Amy’s favorite time of the day comes after school, when the anxieties and expectations of others disappear, and she can spend extra time playing games with her friends. During these roleplay games, she doesn’t have to be herself -- she can be a princess, a teacher, an actor, anything.

    She brings two of her friends home with her one day after school.

“Let’s roleplay! You be the doctor, I’ll be the nurse, and Dylan can be the patient.” Catherine drags Dylan onto a bench, and sits him down. “Come on Doc, it’s time to give our patient a check-up!”

    Amy stands up a little straighter. She is no longer [just some random 6 year old girl], but a doctor, here to do doctor things, with doctor responsibilities.

“Do I have the flu, or a cold?” Dylan asks, pretending to sneeze.

Dr. Amy puts on a face mask, pretending to be disgusted from his germs. “It’s definitely the flu!” she proclaims, choosing the most severe of the two options given.

“Do I have to get a shot?” Dylan asks in mock-horror.

    Amy rolls her eyes -- this is an easy question. “Of course!” Amy says, finding the plastic toy needle from the box of supplies.

    “Don’t worry, I won’t take long… Just a thousand years!” Catherine smirks, keeping the conversation up. Amy giggles, while Dylan groans He rolls his sleeves up anyways, keeping in character.    

When playing games under familiar surroundings, children with selective mutism are more willing to open up, and relax. Parents should try to create such opportunities for them. Roleplaying is a  good example, as children can shed the anxieties/expectations of their school life to adapt to the character. Their imagination is unlimited, and they can be someone else -- someone who doesn’t have the same fears they do. At the same time, roleplaying as a doctor, or other real-life situations, gives children the opportunity to practice talking to people and interacting, to build confidence. It is particularly important for children with selective mutism to learn and grow through playing.

作者俊华,艾米妈 。 如有需要，加微信：junwang08837，艾米妈邀你进 “选择性缄默症家长分享群”。

选择性缄默症包括语言恐 Speech Phobia，感知障碍 Sensory Disorder, 社交恐惧 Social Anxiety 。 关键词： 孩子为什么不说话，孩子在外面不说话，孩子不敢说话，和陌生人不说话，社交恐惧，孩子在幼儿园和学校不说话，害羞，敏感，胆子小，懦弱，怕生，内向，没自信，固执，不敢吃饭，不敢去厕所，不敢和小朋友玩，，在家讲话，出门不讲话。只和爸爸妈妈说话， 不敢参加集体活动。