Difference b/w Autism and Selective Mutism

Autism Spectrum Disorder is pervasive – it impacts the way a person sees, interacts with and experiences the world. It isn't turned on and off. Selective mutism is a severe anxiety disorder where a person is unable to speak in certain social situations, such as with classmates at school or to relatives they don't see very often.

The main difference is that children with selective mutism tend to show these challenges mainly when they’re uncomfortable and tend to have fairly typical social interactions and communication skills when they are comfortable. Children with autism tend to have difficulty in all settings, regardless of communication partner or location. The presence of restricted interests or repetitive behaviors is not commonly seen in children with selective mutism. In some instances, children may have both autism and selective mutism. These children demonstrate the fundamental symptoms of autism along with a discrepancy in communication across settings and individuals. It is important to make sure that difficulties in one area (e.g., language delays due to autism) aren’t the reason a child is having difficulty in another realm (e.g., speaking at school). For example, if a child demonstrates restricted interests, social language impairments, and is nonverbal at home and school, autism may be the appropriate diagnosis. If that same child is verbal at home but does not speak at school, it is possible that the child has both autism and selective mutism.

If you have concerns that your child may have autism and/or selective mutism, the first step would be to speak with your pediatrician about your concerns. Ideally, you would want to schedule an evaluation with a provider that is knowledgeable about selective mutism and autism.

Autism is a temporary phase in the life of a child, which can be treated with the combination of Ayurveda and psychotherapy.

We at N D Care Nirogam offer Ayurvedic treatment for managing autism symptoms. If you or someone you know is living with autism, consider incorporating with best doctor for the treatment of AutismDrNavdeep Sharma ji for your treatment plan.