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Selective Mutism & Social Anxiety Disorder
Learning to Socialize & Communicate within the REAL WORLD
School is not the only setting that is difficult for the child/teen with
Selective Mutism and Social Anxiety Disorder. Socializing & communicating in
public settings can be anxiety provoking and/or challenging for our
children/teens.
To help
the child suffering in silence, parents, professionals and educators need to
understand that children/teens with SM often have difficulty communicating
nonverbally. Some may 'whisper' thru a parent or make sounds and some may
shut down and therefore, not communicate at all when they sense an
expectation for speech and communication. In addition, social comfort and
communication will vary depending on the setting and individuals present in
that setting.
This
presentation will begin with the characteristics of children with SM and the
importance of understanding the child's unique needs when developing
strategies/interventions for the REAL WORLD.
A brief discussion of the
Social Communication Bridge
will be mentioned to highlight the importance of the SM Stages of Social
Communication (c)
Information on HOW to determine the child's social communication baseline
skills (i.e., is the child noncommunicative? Nonverbal? In the Verbal
Transition stage (whispering, making sounds, etc.) or Verbal) in particular
social settings will be discussed. Specific strategies and interventions to
help the child feel less anxious, build the social comfort and to progress
into verbal communication within ALL real world settings will be
highlighted.
The
following REAL WORLD areas (and more ..) will be discussed in detail during
the presentation:
-Home: Answering/making phone calls, handling social
gatherings/parties in the home, interacting with relatives and family
friends, having friends over and going to a friend's house, etc.
-Out 'n About: Interacting & responding to store clerks,
giving an order in a restaurant, going to parties, going to summer camp,
traveling (family vacations), etc.
-Potentially stressful situations: Doctor/dentist visits,
skeptical family/friends, childcare dilemmas, handling emergencies in and
out of the home, dealing with peer pressures/social withdrawal.
Case study
descriptions and explanations will be discussed throughout the presentation
to provide participants with a deeper understanding of key concepts and
examples of strategies/interventions.
Presenter:
Elisa
Shipon-Blum DO
Time: 2 hours
Fee: $69
Release Date: Jan 15, 07 ORDER NOW ---> GO |