SMart Amy

This book is dedicated to the parents, teachers, and friends that help children with selective mutism.

Why is this book titled SMart Amy? Children with selective mutism (SM) are generally extremely intelligent. With funny cartoons, SMart Amy will show you effective techniques that will benefit affected children in their everyday activities. Children can color the drawings while listening to their parents read the book’s scenarios. Parents and teachers can develop specific action plans based on the severity of children’s selective mutism symptoms.

July 25, 2017 was a special day for 10-year-old Amy, as her psychiatrist, Dr. Shipon-Blum, officially announced that Amy was completely free of selective mutism. Amy had been receiving treatment for selective mutism since February of 2012. After a grueling five years, rain or shine, Amy overcome one difficulty after another with the help of her family, teachers, and friends.

It all started when Amy was three and a half years old. Her parents noticed that Amy started to talk less and less in public. When she was 5 years old, Amy completely stopped talking to strangers - including her extended family and kindergarten teachers. Amy would only talk to her parents, brother, and her two closest friends who grew up with her. Amy also suffered from stomach aches every day from her anxiety. However, as selective mutism is not very well known, Amy's pediatricians and specialists assumed she was just timid and shy.

When Amy started school at age 5, her school counselor (psychologist) diagnosed Amy with selective mutism. Amy had to wait for 3 months for the first appointment with well-known expert in selective mutism. During the three-month wait, Amy’s mom researched for activities and strategies that could help Amy communicate. These strategies helped Amy end her three-month long silence, and she began making new friends. Talking was just the first step in Amy’s long journey.

Amy’s mom, with the help of many loving friends, turned years of notes and experience into this book. She hopes this book will support struggling children, and their compassionate parents, teachers and friends on their journey of freedom from selective mutism.

Jun Reitman & Amy Yue   Wechat: junwang08837    email: [e-mail]

Amy Mom invites you to “selective mutism parents to share the group”. [e-mail]
Selective mutism includes Speech Phobia, Sensory Disorder, and Social Anxiety. Keywords: Why do SM children not speak, Children not speaking outside home, Children not dare to speak, not speaking to strangers, Social fears, Children not speaking in kindergartens or schools, Shy, sensitive, timid, weak, afraid of life, introverted, no Self-confidence, stubbornness, not eating, not going to the toilet, not playing with children, talking at home, not speaking at home. Speaking only to Mom and Dad, and not participating in group activities.