Selective mutism isn’t about being shy, it’s not about refusing talk or not wanting to talk. Instead it is a specific condition where the child chooses not to talk in certain social situations due to anxiety about being heard. The following article shares stories of some children, and about what worked and didn’t work for them. It includes information from specialist speech and language therapists working in this area. The children who choose to stay silent: The sad and surprisingly common plight of youngsters with selective mutism