Wednesday, July 2, 2008

Payton's pic

I had a comment about Payton's pic on the right and her "silly" face. Just wanted to comment for anyone reading my blog who isn't familiar with SM. I selected this pic very intentially! The face and stance in this pic is very common for a child with SM. Often when they are anxious they will not be able to make eye contact, they have their head down, lip quivering, shoulders up and ridgid movement. SM kids find it hard to smile or have blank expressions when they are anxious too. She often has that stance when someone she doesn't know is taking the pic too...like this one that she refused to look up when we asked a stranger at Kings Island to snap a family pic really quick...


Anyways, I picked this pic not because she was being silly or anything like that but b/c it truely is "the face of a child with selective mutism."

2 comments:

MomStillLearning said...

I'm glad you posted this. I thought that may have been the reason for the pic, but she still manages to look so cute that I wasn't quite sure. I want to say again how great it is that you are writing about your experiences. Thanks, J!

roccor said...

My Daughter is selectively mute as well, and this is also a typical picture my Daughter would have at a Birthday Party or any other event that people besides close family might attend. My Daughter was diagnosed almost one year ago and we have seen some very small steps in the right direction.

Rob Cormier
http://smsg.baseman.ca SM Support Group Forum