Mutism involves the suspension of speech.
Mutism refers to muteness ; that is, to the suspension of speech by an individual. The concept has its origin in the Latin mutus.
People who suffer from mutism remain silent in certain situations; The causes of this silence can be various and can be activated voluntarily or as a consequence of a condition that is beyond your control.
Causes of mutism
The main causes of mutism are physical and are usually linked to the vocal cords , tongue , mouth , throat or lungs . In some cases, mutism is linked to deafness : someone who was born deaf has never heard speech and, therefore, does not learn to develop this ability. A person, however, can contract mutism at any time in their life due to an illness or accident .
Many times mutism is defined through the concept of aphonia , which is the medical concept used regarding the lack of ability to speak. A common reason for hoarseness is that, whether due to surgery, a tumor or an accident , damage occurs to the recurrent laryngeal nerve that is responsible for controlling most of the muscles found in the larynx .
In any case, for a person to develop this disorder they do not necessarily have any physical complications; in some cases it occurs due to psychological causes that lead the subject to take refuge in muteness as a way to avoid certain problems that would otherwise cause them. stress .
Although mutism is usually physical, it can also have psychological causes or be voluntary.
Associated disorders
Mutism generally develops before the age of five but is only diagnosed when children start school; It may appear as a circumstantial problem and disappear the same way it came, or remain for several years; In both cases it is advisable for the child to begin psychological treatment in which the causes of said disorder can be analyzed, which in many cases is due to a deficiency in social functioning.
Along with mutism, other language disorders may appear, such as dysglosias , dyslalias and rhinolalias (three problems that are characterized by the impossibility of correctly pronouncing certain phonemes for various reasons); excessive shyness , withdrawal, enuresis , emotional instability, among others. Furthermore, one of the problems that arise is dropping out of school and the feeling of incomprehension when being mocked by peers due to this disorder.
According to what has been discerned based on the studies carried out, the factors that favor the appearance of mutism can be language disorders, overprotection , mental retardation, traumas experienced before turning three years old, emigration and the beginning of school.
Degrees of mutism
When making a diagnosis of mutism, it is necessary to analyze the age of the individual (it is more serious the older the patient is), the duration (since the inhibition was known, how much time has passed, the greater the time). time, the severity may also be greater), the intensity (the severity is greater the less one speaks when faced with a situation that causes mutism) and the extent (it will be more serious the more frequently and commonly the mutism attacks occur). With these data, the severity of the disorder can be diagnosed, which can be:
- Total mutism : it is diagnosed in people who manifest this disorder in any situation and in front of any other person. It is the most serious, and causes total inhibition of speech;
- Linguistic selective mutism : children from immigrant families who refuse to speak the language of the country where they live, even though they understand it;
- Selective mutism of people : it occurs in those children who choose who to talk to and only do so in front of certain family members or friends;
- Selective mutism of situations : those children who only speak at home or in certain situations, especially when they are in front of few people.
The choice not to speak
Selective mutism is generally a consequence of an anxiety disorder and in order to resolve it, it is necessary to discern its causes.
It is essential that parents of children who suffer from mutism have a clear idea of the situation their child is going through. Children with mutism suffer high levels of suffering and severe problems adapting to new environments ; They feel unprotected and through silence they try to go unnoticed, to avoid becoming the center of ridicule and so that others ignore their emotional state. Knowing these issues, parents can provide their children with a healthier and more welcoming environment where they do not feel threatened, while helping them (through appropriate therapy) to overcome the disorder.
Finally, it is necessary to clarify that mutism in some cases is not even a disorder, but rather a voluntary act. Some people may choose to abandon speech for certain reasons and become mute; This occurs, for example, with those who are part of certain religious orders that dispense with oral communication.