What is the cause of selective mutism?

Selective mutism is a type of condition wherein a child is unable to speak when exposed to a lot of people. Some find it hard to communicate with other people as long as they are in a social setting. Some experience this because of anxiety that they are unable to speak their minds.

They fear that they will be judged, laughed at, or will be the subject of ridicule among their peers. Those who have this condition will be able to speak well with other people especially those that they are comfortable with. There are still other studies that are being done in order to fully know the potential cause of this condition.

Selective mutism is a disorder that affects the social skills of a person. It is usually caused by the anxiety the person feels during certain situations. Usually a person who experiences selective mutism may already be shy or suffer from other social disorders. During their suffering from this condition, the person would not be able to speak or communicate due to the situation unlike other situations where the person may speak fully.

For the most part, there is no known cause that can be directly and absolutely guaranteed as the main cause of the disorder. Instead, there are a few beliefs to the cause. One main cause is that the disorder is inherited from a relative who also experiences this disorder.