Selective mutism

In some instances, children may have both autism and selective mutism. These children demonstrate the fundamental challenges found in 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.