Selective Mutism - My Memories

Entrance Exams (2)

2011-12-06T04:00:00.001-08:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

Entrance Exams (2)

* * * * * * * * * *

In the former story, I took three college entrance examinations. But I was scheduled to take one more examination. That is the secondary entrance examination to a national university. I put special importance on the examination, because I wanted to enter the national university.

Fortunately, the examination was written examination, not interview examination. So, it did not matter whether I was able to speak smoothly. Even today many Japanese colleges and schools sometimes set interview examination to applicants. So, some Japanese junior high school and high school students with selective mutism have trouble passing entrance examinations.

And I was successful in the entrance examination.

["Tomishige was all smiles"]

Soon after I knew my examination result, I went to my high school to tell the result to my teachers and thank them. But when I arrived at my school in the evening, few teachers remained there. Opening the door of the teachers' room, I found only one teacher worked. He was a teacher of the third year of the school, not my homeroom teacher. As soon as he noticed me, he walked straight up to me and said, "Congratulations, Tomishige!" He added that the college had already informed the high school of a list of students who passed the examination. He offered his hand, so I shook hands with him.

I think most students will have a happy smile if they are in the same situation. But I didn't. I was emotionless. That must be odd. I had studied hard to pass the entrance examination of prestigious colleges since I entered a high school. Now I achieved my ambition. But my selective mutism caused me to be emotionless even when I were in such a happy situation.

After I went home, my homeroom teacher called me. "Congratulations on passing your exam, Tomishige! One teacher told me you went to high school some time ago. He said Tomishige was all smiles. I felt very sorry for going home early."

I was surprised. It was contrary to the truth. I did not know why the teacher said such a thing. Perhaps he told a lie to her, because he wanted her to be pleased. Like the Japanese proverb says, Uso mo houben (Circumstances may justify a lie). Another possibility was that he confused me with other students.

* * * * * * * * * *

In this way, my high school life ended. Next, I went to university.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Selective mutism and developmental disorder

2011-07-22T04:16:00.001-07:00

I've read literature on selective mutism written by Japanese researchers. From what I read, some recent Japanese researchers explore the relationship between selective mutism and developmental disorder.

Common diagnostic criteria, such as DSM-IV-TR and ICD-10, distinguish selective mutism from pervasive developmental disorder. If symptoms of selective mutism occurs during the course of pervasive developmental disorder, that is diagnosed as pervasive developmental disorder, not selective mutism based on anxiety. So, it is important to distinguish both disorders.

Indeed, there seem to be many mute children with pervasive developmental disorders. According to a famous Norwegian research, 68.5 per cent of selectively mute children met the diagnostic criteria for developmental disorder/delay compared with 13.0% in the control group (Kristensen, 2000).

And Shintaro Sagawa, a member of Hinode City Board of Education based on Tokyo, writes that he had seen many mute children, but they are not necessarily silent because of psychological problems. He writes some of them have many difficulties, including developmental disorder (Sagawa, 2006).

So, if you find a selectively child, it may be better to consider the possibility of pervasive developmental disorder. But Yasuhiro Watanabe and Sakakida Rie, a pediatrician and child psychiatrist, points out that it is difficult to distinguish both disorders (Watanabe and Sakaida, 2009). In case you do not know whether the child can be diagnosed as selective mutism or pervasive developmental disorder, it may be better to keep both possibilities in mind.

[Reference]

Kristensen, H. (2000). Selective mutism and comorbidity with developmental disorder/delay, anxiety disorder, and elimination disorder. Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry. 39(2), 249-256.

Sagawa, S. (2006). Bamen kanmokuji heno approach. L'Esprit d'aujourd'hui. 471, 55-61.

Watanabe, U. and Sakakida, R. (2009). Four cases of selective mutism examined from in light of the austic spectrum disorders. Japanese journal of child and adolescent psychiatry. 50(5), 491-503.

Japanese children's book about selective mutism

2011-04-23T06:31:00.001-07:00

I found a Japanese children's book about selective mutism. Issho ni asobo vamos brincar (in English, let's play with me!), published in 2003. It's a fiction novel written by Etsuko Yamamoto.

The main characters of the story are two children. One is a third-grade Brazilian girl named Juliana. She transferred to an elementary school in Japan. But she faces difficulties in speaking Japanese. The other is her classmate named Seiya. He suffers from selective mutism.

The story revolves around Juliana and Seiya. The heart of the story is Seiya's relationship with Juliana.

Both Juliana and Seiya have difficulties in speaking, although their problems are different. When it comes to people who have language problems in fiction, I recall a short story "Hankachi," written by Kiyoshi Shigematsu. Hankachi is included in the book Aoi Tori, a collection of short stories. The main characters of the story are one teacher and one student. The teacher has a stutter problem. On the other hand, the student suffers from selective mutism. The center of the story is their relationship.

I have mixed feeling about this. I guess writers of both stories aim to explore meaning of verbal communication by writing people who can't speak well. But I don't want to group them together. Selective mutism is different from stuttering and lack of language knowledge.

But I guess this book may give solace to children with selective mutism. They may feel they are not alone when they finish reading the book.

A new Japanese picture book about selective mutism

2011-02-25T04:49:00.001-08:00

A new Japanese picture book about selective mutism was published in January 2011. The title is Nacchan no koe -- Gakkou de hanasenai kodomotachi no rikai no tameni (Nacchan's voice -- Understanding children who can't speak at school).

Book details by Yahoo!Japan books
(New window open)

The heroine of the book is an elementary school girl who has selective mutism. We can understand the disorder through the story.

The main contents of the book are, of course, picture book. The story is very easy to understand, so even little children seem to be able to understand the disorder through the story.

The author is Miko Hayashi. She was a mother of a child who once had selective mutism. She illustrates the book as well as tells the story. Ms. Hayashi has made public her original picture stories about selective mutism on the Internet for a few years.

And at the end of the book, Yoji Kanehara, the director of Kanehara Pediatric Clinic, provides medical explanation about selective mutism for teachers and parents. In addition, one junior high school girl with selective mutism contributes her poem.

This book is edited under the supervision of Kanmoku Net (Knet), a Japanese selective mutism support group. Miko Hayashi is a member of the group.

Nacchan no Koe is not the first Japanese picutre book about selective mutism. As far as I know, the one titled Banzai! Nayakaya-kun (Hooray! Nakayama) was published in 2000. In 2002 a photo book Rika-chan ga waratta -- Hibikiau kodomo tachi (1) (Rika laughed -- Echoing children (1)) was published. However, there had been no picture books in which organizations on selective mutism involved until this book was published.

Entrance Exams (1)

2010-11-10T17:34:00.000-08:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

Entrance Exams (1)

* * * * * * * * * *

When I was in junior high school, I couldn't pass the entrance exam to the high school I wanted to go to . Since then, my aim had been to enter a prestigious university.

Japanese universities then had two types of admission. One was general admission. Students granted general admission if they passed entrance exams that was mainly paper test. Unlike US, each universities conducted selective entrance exams. The other was recommended admission. Students granted recommended admission if principals of their high schools recommended them to universities and they passed entrance exams that was mainly interview exams.

I was going to apply for general admission to national universities and private universities. The schedule was as follows:

[January]
National Center Test for University Admissions (preliminary entrance exam to national universities)
[early-February]
Entrance exams to private universities
[late-February and mid-March]
Secondary entrance exams to national universities

I took NCTUA and three entrance exams. Although I was a nervous man, I felt relaxed when I sit for the exams. I think one reason for that is that my high school had students rehearse entrance examination again and again.

I was at my best at the entrance exams. I achieved a good score at NCTUA and passed exams for two private universities. But I was not confident of passing exams if applied for recommended admission and took interview exams. I didn't overcome selective mutism completely at that time, so I had no confidence to talk at interviews.

In this way, I took three exams. but one exam was left. That is secondary entrance exams to national universities.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Bullied to death

2010-09-23T03:10:00.000-07:00

A Japanese junior high school student with selective mutism suffered severe violence by bullies and passed away because of the violence in 1991.

According to proceedings of a regular meeting of Toyonaka municipal assembly held March 1992, Bunichi Hotta, a member of the assembly, said, "Ms *** ***, who passed away because of bullying, had mental retardation and selective mutism. But her school didn't provide her with proper education. That was a serious problem."

(*** *** is a name of the girl who passed away)

The case seemed to be famous nationwide then. I consulted a local newspaper at that time issued in the area I live (far away from Toyonaka). The case was featured largely. Besides, the case was mentioned in Diet (Japanese Congress). Even now, Wikipedia refers to the case.

About the case in Wikipedia (Japanese)
（new window open）

But few Japanese people seem to know she had selective mutism. As long as my research, some newspapers or books and so on write she had disorders. But almost all of them wrote vaguely about her disorder. For instance, "She had mild emotional disorders."

It's very regrettable the tragedy occurred. She had selective mutism as well as me. In addition, she's the similar age with me if she didn't pass away. I hope such tragedy never happens again.

[Reference]

Sachiko Takeda (2005) Anata ha kodomo no inochi wo mamoremasuka - Ijime hakusho "jisatsu, satsujin, shogai 121 nin no kokoro no sakebi!"-, Tokyo: WAVE Publishers.

Index of SM in Japan

My words had great impact

2010-07-19T02:53:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

My words had great impact

* * * * * * * * * *

[I taught English to my classmates]

I was regarded a bright student, so some classmates asked me to teach Japanese history, mathematics, English, etc. Although I had selective mutism, I was able to speak quietly then. So, I taught my classmates them in a quiet voice. When I think back, it may have been a behavioural therapy.

[My words had great impact]

One day seating arrangements were changed, and my seat moved next to a female classmate. I became friendly with her.

On a certain day she felt depressed because she was rebuked by our homeroom teacher for her bad exam results. So, I offered words of encouragement to her. Of course, it was rare for me to talk to somebody, as I had selective mutism.

Fortunately, she was very pleased with my words. Girl students next to us said, "Your words have great impact. Even if talkative girls like us says the same words, that doesn't have high impact as yours." The next day the female classmates talked to other classmates about my yesterday's offering words of encouragement proudly. She seemed to be very glad about my words.

[I tended to avoid going to places where people gather]

I tended to avoid going to places where people gather. For instance, career guidance room and library in my school. But I don't know whether this was because I had selective mutism.

My school placed Akahon in the career guidance room. Akahon are Japanese student's bible that contains information about colleges and archives of colleges' entrance exams. Many students went to the career guidance room and read Akahon to gain information about colleges or to solve past colleges' entrance exams. In contrast, I didn't go to the room.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Selective Mutism and Hikikomori (2)

2010-06-21T05:18:00.000-07:00

I think this description is significance, because it is written clearly in MHLW guideline that selective mutism is not only a childhood problem but can have lasting effects as Hikikomori. In fact, I hear not negligible number of Japanese people who suffered (or suffer) from selective mutism become Hikikomori. One Japanese support group for children with selective mutism claims that some children with selective mutism become Hikikomori later.

I don't know what evidence the authors of the guideline have. There are few studies on long term outcome of selective mutism also in Japan. But I guess several Hikikomori cases that have the experience of selective mutism are reported among institutions for Hikikomori people, such as Mental Health and Welfare Center, Public Health Center, etc..

It is interesting to note that the guideline mentions the relationship between school refusal and selective mutism. Traditionally it has been thought that Japanese children with selective mutism in general don't suffer from school refusal, because it's conspicuous to miss school for a long time. Children with selective mutism tend to avoid being conspicuous.

Although the guideline only make passing reference to selective mutism, I want many professionals to read the sentences about the disorder. That can help to raise awareness of selective mutism.

Last but not least, please note that not all Japanese children with selective mutism become Hikikomori later.

Index of SM in Japan

Selective Mutism and Hikikomori (1)

2010-06-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

Hikikomori is a serious social problem in Japan.

What is Hikikomori? Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare defines Hikikomori as "A phenomenal concept which means avoiding social participation (e.g. school attendance including compulsory education, entering the workforce including part-time job and associating with somebody outside the home) and generally remaining at home for 6 month and over in principle (including going outside without associating with somebody). Moreover, although as a general rule we define Hikikomori as nonpsychotic phenomenon excluding social withdrawal based on a positive and negative symptom of schizophrenia, keep in mind that it's not uncommon that Hikikomori includes schizophrenia before a definite diagnosis is made."

MHLW revised a guideline for assessment and support for Hikikomori people on May 19. It is thought that professionals who help Hikikomori people read the guideline.

* Here's a link to MHLW's web page on the guideline *

http://www.mhlw.go.jp/stf/houdou/2r98520000006i6f.html
(New window open)

The guideline refers to selective mutism as "mental disorders that are strongly related to Hikikomori and their features."

According to the guideline, some children with selective mutism become Hikikomori: 'Some children who didn't speak at kindergartens or schools in early childhood such as selective mutism gradually become school refusal and then become Hikikomori. Others remain at home after graduating from high schools without determining their course.'

(To be continued)

Index of SM in Japan

Selective Mutism and SNS in Japan

2010-05-07T06:27:00.000-07:00

Many Japanese people who are interested in selective mutism also use social network services. They share information about selective mutism in SNS.

Popular SNS among them are mixi and Twitter. Facebook and Myspace are not so popular among Japanese people.

* mixi *

Mixi is the most popular social networking site among Japanese. Mixi is a Japanese website, so I guess most users are Japanese.

For more detail about Mixi, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mixi

At present there are 6 communities about selective mutism on mixi. The largest community has over 260 users.

* Twitter *

Twitter is also popular among Japanese people. Yukio Hatoyama, Japanese Prime Minister, and Sadakazu Tanigaki, a party leader of Japan's largest opposition party, are also Twitter users.

Japanese people who are interested in selective mutism also use Twitter. Some of them are members of a Japanese support group for selective mutism and share information about the group activities.

* My mixi and Twitter pages *

I also use mixi and Twitter. All my posts are Japanese, not English, though. But I don't join any community on mixi. I only keep a diary on mixi to record updates of my website. I don't also communicate with people through Twitter very much. Usually I tweet to myself.

My mixi and Twitter pages are here. I'm afraid you can't access my mixi page unless you're a mixi member.

http://mixi.jp/show_friend.pl?id=8699233
http://twitter.com/nesamimus

Index of SM in Japan

Facial muscles

2010-03-11T04:44:00.000-08:00

By and large, children with selective mutism lacks facial expression in kindergarten, school, etc.. They spend hours with expressionless face every day. Some of them may overcome the disorder soon. But others may continue to be mute several years.

The problem is the latter. If they suffer from selective mutism for years and spend hours with expressionless face every day in school or kindergarten, what effect do facial muscles have?

I guess they don't use their facial muscles very much. If facial muscles aren't used very much in childhood or adolescence, what happens?

I don't know about facial muscles well.

But I guess one possibility is that it becomes more difficult for them to create facial expressions. Of course, many of them are forced to have blank facial expressions by anxiety. But if their anxiety decreases, I guess their undeveloped facial muscles may prevent them from creating facial expressions. That can influence communication. In general, the less expressive face a person shows in face-to-face contact, the less he or she can communicate successfully. They may need to train their facial muscles if they want to communicate with other people successfully.

Speaking of facial muscles, some Japanese women train their facial muscles for cosmetic purpose. It is said that people tend to look old for their age if their facial muscles are weakened. If so, do children or people with selective mutism look old ? ... I don't know.

I became a senior in high school

2010-02-26T05:23:00.000-08:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

I became a senior in high school.

* * * * * * * * * *

I became a senior in high school.

My class was a looping class. My homeroom teacher was the same as before, so were almost all of my classmates. But only A, the most beautiful girl in my class, moved to other class. She was an outstanding student, so she moved to the class which is made up of excellent students.

College entrance exams were approaching within a year. As a college oriented class, teachers assigned us more homework. In addition to school homework, we students did our own studies to pass the entrance exams. We needed to study harder.

Therefore, my interest in overcoming selective mutism became less and less.

* * * * * * * * * *

At that time, the relationship between M and I changed dramatically. But I won't even go into detail. I'll let you imagine the rest.

* M was my female classmate. When she and I were in the sixth grade, there was a rumor that she loved me.

* * * * * * * * * *

When we became a senior, our English grammar teacher changed. He was a strict teacher. He had a stern look on his face. But he was lenient only with me. I guess that's probably because he thought I was obedient and serious student. In Japan, if a mute and quite student like me study hard and get high marks in tests, he or she are more likely to be regarded as an obedient and serious student.

Another possibility is he thought that he should not take strict attitude toward me, because I was so shy. I guess he thought that I'll be too daunted if he was strict with me.

Like him, there were many strict teachers in my school, but no one took strict attitude almost only toward me. I was fearful of them.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Do Japanese children with selective mutism show their symptoms later?

2009-12-19T03:22:00.000-08:00

Comparing researches on selective mutism in Japan with that in Western countries, I found that there are differences in age of onset. Reported average age of onset in Japan is higher than that in Western countries. In Japan, average age of onset is about 5 years old. On the other hand, in Western countries, average age of onset is about 3 years old.

There are a small number of researches that report age of onset, so it may be premature to conclude that Japanese children with selective mutism show their symptoms later. But I'm curious about the difference.

[The average age of onset of SM and SM literature]

Here are major researches that report the age of onset of selective mutism. Regrettably, I can't collect all reports.

I write the average and standard deviation of age of onset here as possible. But some researches doesn't report them. In that case, I calculate them. And in some cases, the age of onset are reported to be a-b years. (e.g. 3-5 years). In that case, I regard it a+b/2 years (e.g. 4 years).

[Points keep in mind when comparing the age of onset]

* Diagnostic criteria

There are many studies on selective mutism, but old researches, especially Japanese ones, tend to use various diagnostic criteria. On the other hand, recent researches, especially Western ones, tend to use standardized diagnostic criteria, such as DSM and ICD. So, it is difficult to make a simple comparison of them.

* Subjects

The average age of onset depend on subjects. For instance, like Elizur et al. (2003), the average age of onset can't be old if children were recruited from preschools. On the other hand, like Minami et al. (1987) or Ichitani et al. (1973), the average age of onset can be older if children were recruited from child consultation centers which aim at children under 18 years.

[SM literature in Japan]

* Shiina et al., 1998

The average age of onset is 4.9 years. 38 out of 46 cases presented symptoms from 2 to 7 years. The data is based on case studies published from 1980 to 1996.

* Souma, 1991

25 out of 35 cases presented symptoms before they enroll in elementary school. The data is based on case studies published from 1980 to 1989.

* Minami et al., 1987

The average age of onset is 5.0 and standard deviation is 2.3 except 2 unclear cases. 28 cases showed their symptoms first in their childhood (3-5 years). 3 cases showed their symptoms first when they were in elementary school (6-11 years). 2 cases showed their symptoms first at puberty (after age 12). 1 case was unclear. The data is based on patients who receive medical consultation at Kyoto City child consultation center from fiscal 1960 to 1987.

* Muramoto, 1983

Out of 17 cases, the average age of onset is 6.4 years and standard deviation is 2.8 years. 3 cases were 3 years. 2 cases were 4 years. 2 cases were 5 years. 3 cases were 6 years. 2 cases were 7 years. 1 case were 8 years. 1 case was 11 years. 1 case was 13 years. The data is based on questionnaire survey conducted at public elementary and junior high schools in Kamikawa, Hokkaido, northern Japan.

* Oi et al., 1979

Out of 24 cases, the average age of onset is 3.8 years and standard deviation is 0.8 years except 1 unclear case. 9 cases were 3 years. 10 cases were 4 years. 3 cases were 5 years. 1 case was 6 years. The data is based on patients Oi was related to intensively at child psychiatry clinic at Nagoya University and Kusunoki Gakuen, a residential treatment center for emotionally disturbed children.

* Araki, 1979

Out of 34 cases, the average age of onset is 5.9 years and standard deviation is 2.2 years. 1 case was 2 years. 2 cases were 3 years. 6 cases were 4 years. 7 cases were 5 years. 11 cases were 6 years. 1 case was 7-8 years. 6 cases were 9-11 years. The data is based on patients who visited department of psychiatry at Kyushu University from 1963 to 1976.

* Ichitani et al., 1973

Out of 20 cases, the average age of onset is 5.4 years and standard deviation is 1.6 except 1 unclear case. 10 patients showed symptoms first when they started kindergartens or nursery schools. 5 patients showed symptoms first when they entered elementary schools. 4 patients showed symptoms first a few years after they entered elementary schools. 1 patient was unclear. The data is based on 20 elementary school students who visited Osaka City and Kyoto City child consultation centers and were diagnosed as selective mutism from May 1964 to December 1970.

[SM literature in Western countries (written in English)]

* Cunningham et al., 2004

Out of 52 cases, the average age of onset is 3.3 years. The age of onset ranged from 3 to 5. Children were diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria. They were recruited over a period of 9 years from a regional service providing child assessments, school consultations, and workshops for parents and teachers.

* Elizuret et al., 2003

Out of 19 cases, the average age of onset was 3 years and 4 months. Onset was significantly earlier among native children (2.7 years) versus immigrant children (3.9 years). Children were recruited from West Jerusalem's obligatory and pre-obligatory state preschools. and diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria.

* Remschmid et al., 2001

In 43 out of 45 cases, the first age of manifestation was three years. Only in two cases take, the first manifestation did place later. Children had been referred between 1964 and 1979 to the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (impatient and outpatient unit) and to the Child Guidance Clinic which works closely together with the department. They were diagnosed according to DSM-III-R criteria.

* Kristensen, 2000

Out of 54 cases, the average age of onset is 3.7 years and standard deviation is 1.7 years. Children were diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria, but exclusion criteria for SM on Asperger's disorder and communication disorder were ignored to look for comorbidity. Children were recruited by mailing announcements to all 63 outpatient clinics for child and adolescent psychiatry and all 278 school psychology services in Norway.

* Dummit et al., 1997

Out of 54 cases, the average age of onset is 3.4 years and standard deviation is 1.3 years. Children were diagnosed according to DSM-IV criteria. They were recruited through advertising and referral from local schools and the Selective Mutism Foundation.

* Steinhausen et al., 1996

Out of 100 cases, the average age of onset is 49.5 months and standard deviation is 32.5 months. In the SHG sample, the average age of onset is 43.9 months and standard deviation is 26.3 months. In the ZH sample, the average age of onset is 45.8 months and standard deviation is 25.5 months. In the B sample, the average age of onset is 63.9 months and standard deviation is 52.4 months. Children were diagnosed according to ICD-10 criteria.

SHG sample (n = 19) was personally assessed by the senior author in 1992 and 1993 because of personal contacts with a parents' self-help group that had been formed in the German-speaking cantons of Switzerland. ZH sample (n = 59) was seen between 1979 and 1992 in the Child and Adolescent Psychiatric Service of Canton of Zurich. B sample (n = 22) represents the entire group of electively mute children who were identified in the case files of the Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Free University of Berlin.

* Black et al., 1995

Out of 30 cases, the average age of onset is 2.7 years and standard deviation is 1.4 years (range: 1 through 5 years). All children satisfied the diagnostic criteria for both DSM-III-R and DSM-IV.

* Black et al., 1981

unclear.

* Hayden 1980

Sorry, I dont't understand the age of onset reported in the paper.

* Wergeland, 1979

All patients (n = 11) represented symptoms at 3 - 4 years. The age at which they were referred varied from 6 to 11 years with an average of 9 1/2 years. One of the children was referred by kindergarten staff, the other 10 by the school authorities.

Index of SM in Japan

Selective Mutism in the media (Japan)

2009-10-29T05:58:00.000-07:00

Selective mutism is sometimes featured in the media in English-speaking countries. For example, in America, the big three networks (ABC, CBS, NBC) all have featured selective mutism. In the UK, Channel 4 has featured selective mutism. In addition to the TV media, newspapers (e.g. The New York Times, The Washington Post, The Times, The Guardian, etc.) and magazines (e.g. TIME, People, etc.) also have featured the anxiety disorder.

But when it comes to the Japanese media, I seldom heard such things. As far as I know, Yomiuri Shimbun, the largest newspaper circulation in the world, featured selective mutism in 1986 and 1988. In 1988 NHK, Japan's national public broadcasting organization, also featured it. Major Japanese media featured selective mutism in the late 80's, because Minoru Yamamoto, a professor at Yamagata University, published books about selective mutism then. But except for that period, the term "selective mutism (Bamen Kanmoku in Japanese)" rarely appeared in the Japanese media.

Recently however, local editions of Japanese major newspapers featured selective mutism. The Asahi Shimbun (2008), The Mainichi Shimbun (2009) and The Chunichi Shimbun (2009) featured selective mutism. In every case Knet, a Japanese selective mutism support group established in 2007, was involved. In addition to that, The Chugoku Shimbun (October 7th 2009) featured selective mutism in response to a request from a former sufferer of selective mutism. And The Asahi Shimbun (2007) printed a contribution from a reader who appealed for help to children with selective mutism.

There seem to be a growing consciousness among Japanese people involved in selective mutism that awareness of selective mutism should be raised, so they encourage the media to feature the anxiety disorder.

Index of SM in Japan

Study was everything

2009-10-16T05:15:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

Study was everything

* * * * * * * * * *

[Which colleges we wanted to apply to ?]

When I was a sophomore in high school, one day our school had us take a nationwide practice entrance exam.

Before we took the exam, we were required to write which colleges we wanted to apply to on prescribed forms. After the exam, the organizer of the exam showed us possibilities that we pass the entrance exams for colleges we wanted to apply to on the basis of data obtained by the exam.

I also wrote my preferred colleges on a prescribed form. I wrote three colleges. A college, B college and C college. But after I submitted the paper, my homeroom teacher called me into a teachers' room. She asked me why I wrote the name of C college. She said she couldn't believe her eyes when she saw the name of the college. According to her, C college had bad reputation, and most alumni of our high school who went to C colleges were ones with very low academic achievement. "I can't understand why did student like you write such college's name?"

From what she saw, I underestimated me. But from what I saw, she overestimated me.

I went through similar experience when I was the 5th grade. My homeroom teacher thought highly of me. But I had the opposite view (see "My self-evaluation").

Did she misunderstood me because I spoke nothing? Did selective mutism affect my self-esteem and cause me to underestimate myself?

[Study was everything]

Many students in my class studied hard to pass college entrance exams. Maybe because of that, there was an atmosphere in my class that study was everything. If student get high marks, he or she gains respect. Even if high-achievement students had some problems, their problems tended to be ignored.

My selective mutism didn't disappeared completely then. But I studied hard to pass college entrance exams rather than tried to overcome my anxiety disorder. As a result, I got high marks in regular exams. My classmates showed respect for me. My homeroom teacher also thought highly of me. I had only to study.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

How to overcome selective mutism by myself (2)

2009-08-02T06:10:00.000-07:00

I try to write how to overcome selective mutism by myself. But I recommend not trusting in what I write, because I am not a professional. In addition, I don't know whether this method is really effective.

[Principle]

I apply to the principle of behavior therapy. First, setting stepwise goals. Second, uttering words gradually.

[Concrete examples]

I'll explain my idea more concretely. Let's take school life for example.

* I spent my school years in Japan. So, I write an example based on my experience in Japanese schools. I'm sorry if what I write can't apply to schools in your country.*

As a first step, for instance, greet teachers and classmates. When I went to Japanese schools, schoolchildren and students had to greet teachers. If your school require you to do so, it might be a good opportunity. Even if your school don't, I think it's a way to take a first step to overcome fear of speaking. Of course, it's not easy for mute children to greet people. So, at first, whisper to teachers and classmates good morning or good bye. Repeating the process increase the chance of greeting teachers and classmates in a loud voice.

As a second step, for instance, utter words loudly as possible as you can in class when you are called on by teachers. Some Japanese former sufferers say they could manage to read textbooks in class when they were called on by their teachers and asked to read textbooks. I guess such experiences helped them to lower their anxiety of speaking.

As a third step, for instance, try to talk with familiar classmates. If you can do that, try to talk with unfamiliar people gradually.

I refer to a study on selective mutism (Uchiyama, 1959) to describe this method. Although it's an old study, the treatment principle has in common with Helping your child with selective mutism (2005).

[Points to Keep in Mind]

1 Try step by step

It's very difficult for children with selective mutism to chat with others. Chatting requires children to talk what they want to say in order. That's a very tall order for them. When I had selective mutism, I tried to do so but failed. So, I felt frustrated. But it's no wonder you fail if you try difficult thing at first.

But it's easier to use short formulaic expressions, such as good morning. Try the easiest thing first. Then, try more difficult things. The point is to try step by step.

2 Don't aim at perfection

Don't aim at perfection. Many children with selective mutism seem to be perfectionists.

3 Don't try too hard

Last, but not least, don't try too hard. Some Japanese SM current and former sufferers say they tried hard to overcome selective mutism, but that caused their conditions to worsen.

[limitation]

The first limitation of this method is difficulty in setting up suitable situations for speaking step by step by myself.

Another limitation is that it's time consuming.

[References]

Uchiyama, K. (1959). Studies on the childhood mutism 2 -therapeutic procedures- The Kitakanto Medical Journal, 9, 786-799.

How to overcome selective mutism by myself (1)

2009-06-21T06:57:00.000-07:00

I've read many books that refer to treatment for selective mutism. But as far as I know, all of them are for parents, teachers, and professionals, not for current and former sufferers of selective mutism. I don't know why. But I suppose one possible reason is that professionals think selective mutism should be treated by parents, teachers, and professionals, not by themselves. Another reason is that publishers and professionals think many sufferers are young children who can't read difficult books.

Browsing Japanese websites, I sometimes find former sufferers who overcome selective mutism by themselves. Some former sufferers blame current sufferers who don't make enough effort to overcome selective mutism.

I also have had strong interest in how to overcome selective mutism without relying on other people for some reason. I don't know why, but I think Japanese sufferers tend to cope with their disorders by themselves (But at the same time, there are many sufferers who don't take actions to cope with their disorders).

So, I try to write how to overcome selective mutism by myself. But I recommend not trusting in what I write, because I am not a professional. In addition, I don't know whether this method is really effective.

(To be continued)

Must I overcome selective mutism?

2009-06-18T02:52:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

Must I overcome selective mutism?

* * * * * * * * * *

[Regular exam]

My long-term goal was to enter a prestigious college. In order to achieve the goal, at the very least I had to get good grade in regular exam.

I achieved the goal to some extent. I was almost always second or third in my class (about 40 students were in my class). But I could hardly get the top marks. At the top was almost always A, the most beautiful girl in my class. So, one of my goal became to get higher mark than A in regular exam.

Before long A and I got acquainted with each other. I couldn't talk to A since I had selective mutism, but A talked to me. I made friends with her.

[Must I overcome selective mutism?]

When I was sophomore, I became a little wiser.

I wondered whether I should overcome selective mutism (I didn't know selective mutism at that time. I thought I couldn't speak because of my personality. So, to me, overcoming selective mutism meant changing my personality).

It may be odd, but many classmates and teachers had liked me because I had been mute. In addition, as I wrote earlier, I thought my mutism was an identity. So, it was fearful for me to overcome selective mutism. Disappearing mutism meant I lose my identity.

Anyway, I thought I could not afford to overcome selective mutism. I was very busy to study to pass the entrance exam for college.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Mutism identity

2009-05-27T06:09:00.000-07:00

One Japanese psychiatrist proposed a concept "mutism identity" in his paper (Araki, 1979).

If children with selective mutism continue to be mute, some of them finally think living with mutism is a lifestyle they elect (mutism identity), for instance, "I decided to do nothing to creative until I got to be able to speak. (case 22)"

I can partly sympathize with him. When I had selective mutism, I gradually thought my mutism was an identity.

That was a hindrance for me to overcome my selective mutism, because suppose my mutism was an identity, disappearing mutism meant I lose my identity. So, it was fearful for me to overcome selective mutism.

But I didn't know selective mutism at that time. If I knew I didn't speak because I suffered from an anxiety disorder "selective mutism," maybe I didn't think my mutism was an identy. But I would have thought my mutism was a kind of mental illness that could be treated.

This is just my case. I don't know whether other children or young people with prolonged mutism also think mutism as their identity.

[Reference]

Araki, F. (1979). Some psychopathological observations on mutism originating in childhood. Japanese Journal of Child Psychiatry, 20(5), 290-304.

Index of SM in Japan

"Silent Children - Approaches to Selective Mutism" is translated into Japanese

2009-04-25T05:09:00.000-07:00

Bamen kanmoku heno approach, a new Japanese book and DVD about selective mutism, was published on March 31.

The book is a collection of writings by many authors, such as Chair of Smira (Selective Mutism Information and Research Association), parents, a special education specialist, a professor emeritus at an university, and so on.

And the DVD accompanying the book is the first Japanese DVD devoted to selective mutism, as far as I know.

The book and DVD is a Japanese translation of Silent Children - Approaches to Selective Mutism, written and produced by SMIRA in conjunction with Leicester University Department of Education.

SMIRA is a UK based support group for children with selective mutism, their parents and so on.

* * * * * * * * * *

Also in Japan, there are two support groups established within a few years. Knet, one of them, translated Silent Children with the help of SMIRA.

Until recently, there was only one Japanese book written by professionals that made selective mutism the main theme. The book is Bamen Kanmokuji no Shinri to Shido (Psychology and guidance of children with selective mutism), published in 1994.

In 2007, a Canadian book Helping your child with selective mutism was translated into Japanese and published. Association of Selective Mutism in Japan, another support group in Japan, was concerned in the publication.

In 2008, Knet wrote Bamen kanmoku Q & A (What is Selective Mutism?).

Half of them is translation. I think that is because Japan have few know-how about selective mutism.

Index of SM in Japan

Teachers and classes (2)

2009-04-18T05:11:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

Teachers and classes (2)

* * * * * * * * * *

[Japanese class]

There were two types of Japanese classes. One was contemporary writings. The other was classic literature. My homeroom teacher taught contemporary writings.

As in the case of English classes, teachers assigned us preparation. We had to solve problems about contemporary writings or translate classic language into current one. I did so and read answers and translations I thought in advance when I asked to do so by teachers in class.

[Japanese history class]

As in the case of English classes, keeping the habit of keeping eye contact with teachers, Japanese history teacher also found me and got close to me.

[A PE teacher]

I was surprised to see my PE teacher at the first PE lesson. I had once seen him when I was freshman in high school. He also remembered me.

In addition to selective muitsm, I had some complex. I was weak in sports. But he was interested in me and friendly talked me. He called me "Tomi-chan" with affection. I had not known such a PE teacher.

* chan is a Japanese suffix.
Japanese honorifics
(New window open)

One odd thing for me is that he sometimes talked about love when he talked to me. He sometimes talked about A, the most beautiful girl in my class. It seemed to me that he wanted me to be interested in the opposite sex. I guessed that he saw me as a boy who was deeply interested in study but not in girls. So, maybe he felt anxious for my future. I felt anxious in another way. I was not interested in A. If my classmates heard the conversation, they may think that I loved A. What is worse, if the classmates told A that Tomishige loved A, I was misunderstood even by A.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Teachers and classes (1)

2009-04-12T03:03:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

Teachers and classes (1)

* * * * * * * * * *

Many teachers were concerned with me when I was sophomore. Homeroom teacher, English teacher, Japanese teacher, history teacher, mathematics teacher, etc.

I developed a good relationship with them.

I guessed almost all teachers saw me a hardworking students. In fact, I got high marks in regular exams.

[Homeroom teacher]

My homeroom teacher had a stern look on her face. At first I was afraid of her. But when I get to know her personality, I realized that I misunderstood her.

She seemed to be a veteran teacher. She know well how to lead students to study to pass entrance exams to the Universities.

[English class]

In my high school, there were two types of English lessons. One was reader (lessons in reading English). The other was grammar. In both classes, teachers translated English textbook into Japanese, solved problems in textbook, or explained English grammar.

Teachers assigned us preparation. We had to translate English into Japanese or solve problems in advance. So we did so and wrote translation and answers on our notebooks before English classes began. When teachers asked us to translate textbook or solve problems in class, we read our notebooks.

I also did so. Although I had selective mutism, I could read sentences written on books or notebooks in class in a low voice. In retrospect, that may have been a behavior therapy.

As I wrote earlier, I had been in the habit of keeping eye contact with teachers when I listened in class although I had selective mutism (see Han note, Eye contact, Majime).

Keeping the habit, an Engilsh grammar teacher found me and got close to me. Thanks to my habit of nodding, I could get acquainted with him although I hardly spoke.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Japanese culture and mutism

2009-03-03T05:41:00.000-08:00

Japanese society indulge people who cannot speak well.

Fukuda, K. (1991). Hanashibeta Sayounara. Tokyo: Nippon Jitsugyo Publishing.

I differ from Mr. Fukuda in opinion, but I agree that Japanese society seems to be generous to mute people.

In some cases silence is even a virtue in Japan.

For instance, Ishin-denshin is a word that characterizes Japanese culture. When people can understand each other although they don't talk at all, that is Ishin-denshin. Traditionally, Japanese people have seen Ishin-denshin as a virtue.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ishin-denshin
(New window open)

One typical advice to Japanese people who are going to English spoken countries is that people in these countries don't understand what you think unless you say it definitely. Japanese people tend to think people guess what they think even if they say nothing.

A proverb "Silence is golden" is also famous among Japanese as Chinmoku ha kin. In addition, there is a similar proverb in Japan Kenja ha mokushite katarazu (Smart people don't speak).

Since Japanese society seems to be generous to mute people, maybe Japanese children with selective mutism don't have severe difficulties as those children in the West. In such society, fewer people view selective mutism as a problem. That may be one reason why fewer researchers study selective mutism in Japan.

But recently virtue of silence has been lost.

And as far as I read from Japanese websites about selective mutism, many former or current sufferers have troubled by the disorder.

Selective mutism is a severe problem also in Japan.

Index of SM in Japan

Hikikomori - Social withdrawal in Japan

2009-02-22T01:10:00.000-08:00

I made a new blog. The theme of the blog is Hikikomori, not selective mutism.

Hikikomori - Social withdrawal in Japan

[What is Hikikomori?]

In a word, Hikikomori is a Japanese term that means social withdrawal in youth.

Hikikomori is a term that represents a condition. Not a clinical entity. The concept and diagnosis of Hikikiomori remains controversial. In a narrow sense, people with mental illnesses, especially schizophrenia and depression, are excluded from Hikikomori. In a broad sense, they are included.

Some say that over 1 million Japanese youth, especially young male, shut themselves in their houses or rooms. But, few Hikikomori people are reported in other countries. So, it is commonly believed that Hikikomori is a unique Japanese phenomenon.

Many Hikikomori people suffered from school refusal earlier in life. They continue refusing to go to school and become Hikikomori. Other Hikikomori people become Hikikomori after they quitted their jobs.

[selective mutism and Hikikomori]

Japanese literature on prognosis of selective mutism shows that some adolescents and adults who suffered (suffer) from selective mutism become Hikikomori. But little is known how many children with selective mutism become Hikikomori later.

Most children with selective mutism are comorbid with any anxiety disorder. The relationship to developmental disorders/delay is also pointed out. More or less, the same can be said for Hikikomori people. It is said that many Hikikomori people have any mental disorders, such as anxiety disorder, developmental disorder, depression, schizophrenia, etc.

Bias

2009-01-26T04:44:00.000-08:00

Some current and former sufferers of selective mutism (and maybe their parents) think various things about selective mutism on the basis of their experiences.

For instance, "I suffered from severe depression as a lasting effect of selective mutism. So, selective mutism in general have severe lasting effects."

"I overcame my selective mutism by myself. So, Everyone can overcome selective mutism by themselves."

But it's impossible to generalize personal experience.

* * * * * * * * * *

View of selective mutism by current and former sufferers (and maybe their parents) may be biased.

Their views are limited. They know their symptoms in detail, but don't necessarily know others' well.

Some become emotional when it comes to selective mutism, because they experienced selective mutism. For instance, if someone say selective mutism is less common in adults than children, how do adults with selective mutism feel?

* * * * * * * * * *

I know the impossibility of generalizing personal experience. But I'm driven by emotion as well as reason. Deep down, I want to generalize my experiences to think selective mutism. But I should follow the dictates of reason.

Of course, if I collect many personal experiences, I may find something in common. That's induction.

Selective mutism and heredity

2009-01-15T04:39:00.000-08:00

I learned of a project that collects DNA samples of parents of selectively mute children. The project is carried out by a research team from University of California.

Existing research literature suggests the heredity factors in selective mutism.

If it becomes clearer that heredity contributes to selective mutism, how will current or former selective mutism sufferers feel? If they get married, their children have the risk of suffering from selective mutism. Some current or former sufferers may hesitate to get married. Some may even hesitate to date with the opposite sex.

Parents may have mixed feeling. Some researchers, especially in Japan, have pointed out that parenting style is a major cause of selective mutism. So, some parents, especially mothers, have a guilty conscience about their parenting style. But if it becomes clearer that heredity contributes to selective mutism, they don't have to suffer from it as they used to do. But they may have another guilty conscience.

Even so, I expect the research team to study the relationship between selective mutism and heredity. I think it's important to elucidate the etiology of selective mutism.

Students sitting near me

2009-01-05T03:02:00.000-08:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

Students sitting near me

* * * * * * * * * *

I was promoted to the sophomore. As I wrote my previous post, my desk was in the corner of the classroom.

Students sitting near me was S and M.

S was a boy sitting in front of me. M was a girl sitting next to me. M was my former female classmate. When she and I were in the sixth grade, there was a rumor that she loved me.

At first, I was mute. I didn't talk to anyone. But some time later, S talked to me. I replied in a low voice. As it was the start of the school year, I had drive to speak. And the episode shows I began to overcome selective mutism. We continued to do such things. We gradually become close to each other. I also become close to Z, a friend of S. But I consistently had a passive attitude toward them. I didn't think they were my friends.

On the other hand, I didn't talk to M. Neither did M. But I occasionally asked her to show her textbook with her, because I sometimes forgot my textbooks. One day I thanked her for showing her textbook to me with my awkward way of speaking. M said with sparkling eyes, "Uun, betsu ni. (You're welcome.)" Then she suddenly grasped a friend of her by the arm and dashed out of the classroom very delightedly.

She looked odd when it comes to me.

When I talked to S, I sometimes smiled. M wanted to watch me smiling, probably because when she and I were the same class in elementary school, my selective mutism was so severe that I didn't smile at school. So, when I smiled, M sometimes looked at me. But I didn't want her to see smiling for some reason. When she looked at me, I quickly changed my expression.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Japanese books about selective mutism

2008-12-22T02:19:00.000-08:00

Here are famous Japanese books about selective mutism.

Keiko, K. (Eds.). Kanmokunet (2008). Bamen Kanmoku Q&A --Youchien ya gakkou de oshaberi dekinai kodomo tachi (What is selective mutism? --How to help children who can't talk in school). Gakuensha: Tokyo.

At present this is the newest book about selective mutism written by Japanese. Kanmokunet, the author, is a non-profit organization for children with selective mutism. This book seems to be written for parents rather than professionals. This book comprises of three chapters. Understanding selective mutism, dealing with selectively mute children, and practice of overcoming selective mutism. A lot of columns by parents and former or current sufferes are inserted in the book.

McHolm, E.A., Cunningham, E.C., and Vanier, K.M. (2007). Bamen Kanmokuji he no Shien -- Gakkou de Hanasenai Ko wo Tasukeru tameni (Eiko, K and Keiko, Y, Trans.). Taken Publishing: Tokyo. (Original work published 2005)

This is a Japanese translation of Helping your child with selective mutism.

Yoshifumi, K., & Eiko, K. (1994). Bamen Kanmokuji no Shinri to Shido -- Tannin to Fubo no Kyoryoku no tameni. Taken Publishing: Tokyo.

This was a standard book of reference on selective mutism in Japan until Bamen Kanmokuji he no Shien was published in 2007. And this book is the first Japanese book available to many people on the theme of selective mutism. This book seems to be written for various kinds of people, especially teachers. This book comprises of four chapters. Characteristic of mutism, cause of mutism, diagnosis of mutism, and guidance on dealing with children with selectively mute children. The title of the book can be translated into English as The psychology and guidance about children with selective mutism.

Socially withdrawn children

2008-12-12T05:24:00.000-08:00

I recently made a Japanese blog about socially withdrawn children.

http://swjournal77.blogspot.com/

Social withdrawal is "the consistent (across situations and over time) display of all forms of solitary behavior when encountering familiar and/or unfamiliar peers.(Rubin, Burgess, & Coplan, 2002)"

According to earlier studies, some children withdraw from peer interaction because they are shy even though they would like to engage in social interaction.

I guess many selectively mute children also have social withdrawal. They are too anxious to interact with others. In fact, I have seen many former or current selective mutism sufferers who didn't or don't have friends. And I was not an exception. But I have also seen many former or current sufferers who made friends. Even if they are shy, they don't necessarily avoid interacting with peers. I want to know precisely peer interaction of selectively mute children.

[Reference]

Rubin, K. H., Burgess, K. B., & Coplan, R. (2002). Social inhibition and withdrawal in childhood. In P.K. Smith & C. Hart (Eds), Handbook of Childhood Social Development. London: Blackwell.

New class

2008-12-04T02:51:00.000-08:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

New class

* * * * * * * * * *

[I moved up to SPC]

At the end of the school year, my homeroom teacher told me that I would move up to Special Preparatory Course next school year.

As I wrote earlier, my high school consisted of three courses. Career Course, Preparatory Course and Special Preparatory Course.

Before I entered the high school, I wanted to study in SPC. But my wish was not granted.

But after I enrolled in the school, I studied hard in PC and got good grades on my exams many times. I guess that teachers appreciated me.

[New homeroom teacher]

I was acquainted with two teachers in SPC. One was Ms. O, a young English-language teacher. She was famous as a beautiful teacher. The other was Ms. H, a senior Japanese-language teacher. She had a stern look on her face. Honestly, I liked Ms. O rather than Ms. H. I wanted Ms. O to become my next homeroom teacher.

At the first of the school year, teachers announced new class composition. I was shocked. My homeroom teacher was Ms. H!

While I was afraid of her, I thought I could concentrate on my study to enter college.

[New Classmates]

I hardly saw any familiar faces in the new class. But I found M. M was my former female classmate. When she and I were in the sixth grade, there was a rumor that she loved me. When I entered the classroom, I was surprised. My desk was next to M.

My desk was in the corner of the classroom. The next seat to mine was M. The front seat was S, a male student I first became acquainted with.

S sometimes spoke to me. I managed to whisper to him. As it was the start of the school year, I had drive to speak and change myself. And the episode shows that I began to overcome selective mutism.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Selective mutism dependence

2008-11-26T05:12:00.000-08:00

Children with selective mutism need support.

But one Japanese selective mutism sufferer said, "People around me do everything instead of me." According to Fujio Araki, M.D., selectively mute children think it's comfortable and advantageous to be mute rather than speak.

[Secondary gain from illness]

If someone suffer from illness or mental disorder but enjoy benefit (receiving kindness or avoiding responsibilities), the benefit is called "(secondary) gain from illness."

According to Araki, when selective mutism motivate people to do something for selectively mute children, children become less anxious and stable in mute. I think that is a gain from illness peculiar to selectively mute children. Araki calls this phenomenon "selective mutism dependence."

For this reason, Araki thinks selectively mute children can't speak as well as don't speak. But I'm a little skeptical about that.

[Motivation to overcome selective mutism]

I guess some selectively mute children lose their motivation to overcome selective mutism. If they remain mute, people around them do everything instead of them. Some people may forgive their mistakes because they are children with special needs. To overcome selective mutism in that situation, they need a strong will power.

* I guess many selectively mute children suffer from lack of understanding, though.

For parents and teachers, it may be difficult to deal with selectively mute children. In order not to lose children's motivation to overcome selective mutism, parents and teachers should be very unkind to to children...? But that may worsen their symptoms.

Of course, I don't believe all selectively mute children are satisfied with gain from illness.

[reference]

Fujio Araki (1979) A classification of mutism originating in childhood.
Japanese Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 20(2), 60-78.

Fujio Araki (1979) Some psychopathological observations on mutism originating in childhood. Japanese Journal of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, 20(5), 290-304.

Do you make an effort to overcome your selective mutism?

2008-11-16T04:50:00.000-08:00

When Japanese people with selective mutism or former sufferers gather on the Internet, they sometimes argue about whether they made an effort to overcome selective mutism.

People who think they conquered selective mutism by themselves sometimes blame selective mutism sufferers. They think sufferers can't speak because sufferers don't make enough effort. I don't know what they call "effort" but I suppose they meant to say sufferers can overcome selective mutism by themselves if they try hard to speak or mingle with peers.

If people use selective mutism as an excuse for not speaking, some Japanese people say it's amae with contempt. Not only people who don't understand selective mutism, but former sufferers also do.

I'm also a former sufferer. But I don't think sufferers don't make enough effort. I think it's too much to encourage them to speak. They can't speak rather than don't speak because of anxiety. So, it's inappropriate to label them as amaeteiru with contempt. In addition, if someone force sufferers to utter words, sufferers get more anxious, and their symptoms worsen.

Index of SM in Japan

Famous people who once suffered from selective mutism?

2008-11-06T00:41:00.000-08:00

I don't know famous people who once suffered from selective mutism well.

I guess the most famous person is Cho Seung Hui, a South Korean man who committed mass murder at Virginia Tech and suicide in 2007. I have a mixed feeling. Because of the event, a former sufferer of selective mutism became famous and the term "selective mutism" appeared in the media over and over again. But it's mass murder. Massacre.

But in Japan only one newspaper reported the fact that Cho suffered from selective mutism. So, the event didn't raise awareness of selective mutism in Japan.

* * * * * * * * * *

Why don't we know famous people who once suffered from selective mutism?

One possible reason is simply that there are no former selective mutism sufferers who become famous. That means it's extremely difficult for them to become famous.

Another possible reason is that there are many former sufferers who become famous, but it's virtually unknown for some reason.

* * * * * * * * * *

If we know famous people who once suffered from selective mutism, we may be relieved our worries about the disorder or be encouraged.

Selective Mutism Awareness Week in Japan?

2008-10-13T07:03:00.000-07:00

Selective Mutism Information and Research Association (SMIRA), a UK based support group for selective mutism, run Selective Mutism Awareness Week from October 5th to 12th.

According to the website of SMIRA, it did many activities to raise awareness of selective mutism. One effort is working on the media to cover selective mutism. Thanks to the effort, many news articles about selective mutism were published in the UK. You can find articles at http://news.google.com/.

* * * * * * * * * *

A Canadian support group for selective mutism coincided with the campaign. It held a Selective Mutism Awareness Walk.

But no Japanese support group coincided with the campaign, because there are no support groups in Japan that have enough power to run such massive campaign yet. I expect Japanese support groups to conduct such big campaign someday.

Index of SM in Japan

Han note, Eye contact, Majime

2008-10-08T04:28:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

Han note, Eye contact, Majime

* * * * * * * * * *

[Han note]

My homeroom teacher made us write Han note. Han note is a notebook. Han is a Japanese that means group. Our classmates were divided into, as I remember, 5-7 groups. Each members of the groups wrote a diary in rotation.

Although I had selective mutism, I could express my thoughts and feelings in writing. I was a talkative man only in the Han note.

[Eye contact and nodding]

I had been in the habit of keeping eye contact with teachers when I listened in class since early times. Because of the habit, I didn't avoid eye contact although I had selective mutism. That may be a kind of behavioral therapy.

In addition, I began to nod at them. Keeping the habit, an English grammar teacher foud me and got close to me. After I became a sophomore, I still nodded at teachers in class. Similarly, an Engilsh teacher and a Japanese history teacher found me and got close to me. In this way, thanks to my habit of nodding, I could get acquainted with teachers although I hardly spoke.

[Majime]

I was viewed as a very Majime (serious, earnest) person. One former classmate said, "I've never seen such a Majime man!" I don't know whether my selective mutism caused me to be Majime or not.

Here is one story about my Majime personality.

I don't know who clean high school in the US, but in my Japanese high school, students were supposed to clean their school (I guess most Japanese high school students also were). Our classmates were divided into some cleaning groups, and I was assigned to a school entrance group.

I cleaned school entrance eagerly. But other members of the group didn't. They gradually neglected their work. One day I cleaned school entrance by myself. A senior teacher found me and said, "Why do you clean by yourself?" That caused trouble.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

You're not the only one

2008-10-02T02:53:00.000-07:00

I once asked my mother's advice for my selective mutism. But she said, "I'm also not good at talking. (So, you're not the only one who're not good at talking)"

She didn't understand my selective mutism. She was a reticent person, but hasn't suffered from selective mutism. She confused a reticent child with selectively mute child.

In Japan, when someone is troubled by something and whine about that, people sometimes said to his or her, "You're not the only one who're troubled by such things. Everyone is troubled by and has patience with such things." Some people may add, "Don't be a big baby!"

Such words sometimes ease his or her mind or encourage his or her to bear the hardship. But they also may trivialize his or her difficulty.

In terms of selective mutism, I guess a small proportion of children suffer from such difficulty. So, it's inappropriate to say to selectively mute children, "You're not the only one ..."

But few people understand selective mutism. So, some people may say such a thing to selectively mute children.

Mutismus im Kindes-, Jugend- und Erwachsenenalter

2008-09-17T04:27:00.000-07:00

I bought a German book about selective mutism, Mutismus im Kindes-, Jugend- und Erwachsenenalter. It's a thin book. Only 64 pages.

I have an interest in German literature on selective mutism. As far as I know, German has the longest history of research on selective mutism. In addition, there is a self-help group in German. I guess German specialists have unique know-how on selective mutism.

I bought this book because

a) It's affordable.
b) It's only 64 pages. So, it seems to be easy to read.
c) It deals with adults with selective mutism.

But I can't read German. This book is the first German book I bought. So, when I read the German book, I use Babel Fish to translate German into English. Babel Fish is very useful. But it's a rough translation by a machine translator. It's difficult to read. :(

The book seems to contain fundamental knowledge about selective mutism. It includes many photographs and illustrations, so it's easy to read.

A student with selective mutism was elected class president

2008-09-04T05:31:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

A student with selective mutism was elected class president

* * * * * * * * * *

We held an election for class president in the midst of the school year. In my school the term of a class president is a half year. But no one ran for the election. So, we decided to recommend someone to class president.

To my surprise, one classmates recommended me! Except me, about five classmates were recommended.

I had no confidence in my ability to fulfill my responsibilities as a class president. I was a student with selective mutism.

After that classmates voted candidates, and ballots were counted. As a result, I was elected class president!

It was unbelievable. I thought my classmates must be a poor judge of human character. They elected me probably only because I was at the top of the class.

What was worse, my homeroom teacher said, "I can leave this school without worry as Tomishige was elected class president." She was pregnant and was going to leave school soon.

But anyway, I was elected class president. I vowed I worked hard to fulfill my responsibilities as a class president.

* * * * * * * * * *

Class president had to say "Kiritsu"(Stand up,) "Rei(Bow your head to teacher,)" and "Chakuseki (Be seated)" at the beginning and end of a class. But It was a tall order for a student with selective mutism.

I managed to say Kiritsu, Rei and Chakuseki in a small voice. For instance, if I said "Kiritsu(Stand up,)" classmates near me could hear my small voive, but others couldn't. So, classmates near me stood up first. Then, others noticed me saying "Kiritsu," because classmates near me stood up. So, others stood up next although they couldn't hear my small voice. It was odd.

I managed to carry on duties as class president. Fortunately, two vice class presidents supported me well.

But after I became class president, my classmates got slack. I blamed myself. I guessed they elected me probably because they thought I would not be able to show leadership if I became class president. If I can't show leadership, they can slack off.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Selective mutism and Taijin kyofusho

2008-08-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

Taijin Kyofusho is a "culturally distinctive phobia in Japan." (DSM-IV) It resembles social phobia or anthrophobia.

I guess many Japanese children with selective mutism are comorbid with Taijin Kyofusho. According to the literature in the West, most children with selective mutism have social phobia. In addition, I've seen former mutism sufferers who seem to have Taijin Kyofusho on the Internet.

But as far as I know, few Japanese researchers point out the relationship between selective mutism and Taijin Kyofusho.

Unlike researchers in the West, Japanese researchers aren't interested in the relationship between selective mutism and anxiety disorder very much. Some Japanese researchers cite the literature in the West and argue most children with selective mutism have anxiety disorder or selective mutism is an anxiety disorder. But as far as I know, none of them research on them by themselves.

Index of SM in Japan

Mazakon

2008-08-10T07:29:00.000-07:00

Mazakon is a Japanese slang originated from a psychological term Mather Complex. Generally infant boys have an attachment to their mothers. But when they arrive at puberty but had an attachment to their mothers yet, they' are viewed as Mazakon with disdain. Most Japanese girls and young women hate Mazakon males.

When boys arrive at puberty, they avoid their mothers. They don't want their mothers to meddle in their affairs. They are at a rebellious age. In addition, if they have close relationships with their mothers, they may be viewed as Mazakon and be disliked by girls. And they may be teased by boys.

As a boy, I also disliked my mother interfering in my affairs when I was in poverty. When she did so, my self-esteem was badly damaged. And I was anxious about my future because I thought my mother's intervention might hinder my independence.

* * * * * * * * * *

I don't mean to say Japanese adolescent boys with selective mutism receiving some support from their mothers are Mazakon. But generally they don't want their mothers to interfere with them.

I think they also need some supports from their parents. Children with selective mutism can't encourage people to get proper support by themselves. I suppose they also realize they need supports from their parents although they may resist it.

If possible, it's preferable to lend a helping hand to boys while give attention to their sense of independence. But it's not easy.

If early intervention is made and they overcome selective mutism early in life, mothers don't have to worry about such a thing.

Index of SM in Japan

My teacher

2008-07-22T05:28:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

My teacher

* * * * * * * * * *

In terms of studying, I got good grades in my high school. A few months after I entered the school, I got 100 marks in an English grammar test. About 600 students in my high school took the test, but only 2 students (including me) got 100 marks. In addition, I most always reached the top of my class.

As far as studying goes, I was an outstanding student in my high school. Many students were good at sports but not studying.

But there was another reason. My homeroom teacher unlocked my potential. She believed my potential and often praised me. I'd never met such a teacher before. Under her direction, I got better grades.

I had a good relationship with her. She appreciated me. I made an effort to live up to her expectations.

One day in Chinese classics class, she taught us a proverb Shutsuran no homare. That means students surpass their teachers. She said, "I want someone to surpass me in future like the proverb." I determined to study hard and to surpass her in future.

But she didn't seemed to see my selective mutism as a problem. One day she had an interview with students' guardians. She also interviewed with my mother and said to her, "Tomishige is no problem!" Being quiet is a virtue in Japan. I guess she thought Tomishige was a good student who was bright and quiet.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Sentakusei Kanmoku, Bamen Kanmoku

2008-07-17T03:09:00.000-07:00

I sometimes envy people in English-speaking countries.

In Japan we call selective mutism Sentakusei Kanmoku or Bamen Kanmoku. They're very difficult words to spell and read.

I guess even many native Japanese can't spell or read these words. That's one reason why few Japanese know selective mutism. These words appear on a Japanese book Can you read these Kanji? -Check your degree of Japanese-.

It's difficult to change the words, because these words take root among child psychiatrist, educational psychologist, educator, etc.

On the other hand, people in English-speaking countries call selective mutism "SM." How simple!

Index of SM in Japan

My Japanese accent

2008-06-27T04:58:00.000-07:00

I study English every day. But learning English is not easy.

One learning method is "shadowing." While I hear someone speaking English (for example, from radio, CD, etc.), I repeat the same sentences I heard. One merit of shadowing is correcting my pronunciation.

I can't pronounce English correctly. I pronounce English with a strong Japanese accent.

But that means I had Japanese accent, although I didn't speak Japanese very much because of selective mutism.

My selective mutism disappeared later. I overcome selective mutism when I was around 20 years old. So, I didn't speak Japanese at school for a long time. But I also got selective mutism later. I spoke normally in kindergarten and school until I was 9 years old. Maybe I grew up with Japanese accent at that time.

Four girl students

2008-06-15T05:42:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

Four girl students

* * * * * * * * * *

After the first homeroom, four female students came to me and said, "Tomishige is kawaii! (cute!)"

During the homeroom period, I introduced myself. Although I had selective mutism, I managed to do so. Maybe they thought I was cute at that time. Or maybe they found me cute before homeroom.

They were the most active girls in the class. They usually said "Tomishige is kawaii!" and tried to make friends with me. They seemed to find me interesting.

I went through the same thing when I was the eighth grade. As an adolescent boy, I was happy at the time. But this time I felt unpleasant. I thought it was rude to say kawaii to a 15 years old boy even if they did so without malice. So, I sometimes gave them the cold shoulder. They sometimes got angry with me. But generally we were on good terms.

I didn't understand why girl students thought I was cute. When I wrote about that on my Japanese weblog The Selective Mutism Journal, a few readers of my blog said to me I looked cute, so they called me cute. But I guess the girls called me cute because they thought my behavior (such as my mute behavior, nodding and shaking my head, etc.) was cute.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Lack of conversation and brain development

2008-06-10T04:02:00.000-07:00

A growing number of 20- and 30-somethings suffer from juvenile amnesia in Japan. According to the Japanese media, lack of conversation is a risk factor for amnesia. Does lack of conversation affect development of brain?

Children with selective mutism don't talk while they are in school or kindergarten. They spend a lot of time there. As their mutism was prolonged, they advance to more upper grades, and they spend more time in school. For example, if they are in the fifth-sixth grade, they go to school around 8:00 and return home around 15:00 (in Japan's case). So, they spend around 7 hours in school. That's nearly a half of their waking hours.

Of course, most children don't talk at school all the time. They are not allowed to chat in class. But on the whole selectively mute children talk much less frequently than usual ones.

If growing selectively mute children's symptoms are prolonged and they continue to be mute at school for a long time, what effect does that have on their brain development? If negative effects are observed, early intervention is important.

I have an interest in it but I've not found the literature that discusses selective mutism and brain development. Doesn't it matter?

Counseling organization on selective mutism (Japan)

2008-06-01T08:51:00.000-07:00

These Japanese institutions provide support for children with selective mutism.

[Education Center]

Education Center is under city, prefectural or university management. EC offers several services. For instance, teacher training, research on education, educational counseling, etc.

Parents and children with selective mutism can receive counseling and psychotherapy at EC. EC sometimes publishes researches on selective mutism.

[Child Consultation Center]

Child Consultation Center is mostly under prefectural management, and partly under city management. CCC provides consultation services for guardians who have children with various problems, including selective mutism. In recent years an increasing number of Japanese people have consulted CCC about child abuse. Children with selective mutism can receive counseling and psychotherapy at CCC.

[Special Speech Class]

SSC is established for children with speech impediment, emotional disturbance, amblyopia, hearing impairment, etc. Children with selective mutism can also enroll in SSC (See Emotional disturbance).

As far as I heard, there's a lot of competition for enrollment in SSC. In addition, not all parents know SSC. So, I guess only small number of children with selective mutism enroll in SSC.

[Residential Treatment Center for Emotionally Disturbed Children]

RTCEDC is an institution that aims to treat mildly emotionally disturbed children, including selectively mute children. Sometimes they live in the center to treat disturbance. RTCEDC is under public or private management. According to the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare, there are 31 RTCEDC in Japan, and 1,131 children lived or went there as of October 1, 2006.

Index of SM in Japan

Three courses

2008-05-21T03:20:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

Three courses

* * * * * * * * * *

I entered η high school.

η high school consisted of three courses. Career Course, Preparatory Course and Special Preparatory Course. CC incorporated vocational training into its curriculum. PC incorporated preparatory classes into its curriculum.

SPC also incorporated preparatory classes. But unlike PC, SPC aimed to help students to go to prestigious universities. Many freshmen wanted to enrol on SPC. But not all of their wishes came true. SPC recruited only about 160 students. On the other hand, students who wanted to enroll on the course exceeded 160 every year. School selected 160 students by the marks they obtained in entrance exam. So, only high-achieving students could enroll on SPC.

I wrote my will to study in SPC in documents I submitted to the school. But when I first went to school, I realized my class was PC, not SPC.

And I was surprised to see M. M was my former female classmate. When she and I were in the sixth grade, there was a rumor that she loved me. Her class was SPC.

[First meeting of the class]

At the first meeting of the class, my homeroom teacher appeared in front of us and begun to talk about her and the class. According to her, she was a Japanese language teacher. Her age was 26. She had a husband.

She said this class was "semi SPC". First, students in the class had good academic ability next to students in SPC. Second, she had an experience of taking charge of SPC. Third, the classroom was located near SPC.

And she added we had a chance to promote to SPC in the next school year if we achieved high grades this school year. She said so because many students in the class couldn't enroll on SPC.

[Introducing myself]

A few days after I entered the high school, we students in the class introduced ourselves during homeroom. As I had selective mutism, I worried whether I could introduce myself smoothly. But I managed to do. After I finished introducing myself, my homeroom teacher said, "Tomishige once took part in the national
Shogi (Japanese Chess) Championships for junior high school. I hear Shogi players are clever. I hope you get good grade." I felt she fully expected me to get good grade. About 40 students introduced themselves, but she said such things only to me.

After homeroom, several female students came to me and said, "Tomishige, kawaii! (cute!)"

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

New book about selective mutism (Japan)

2008-05-12T05:34:00.000-07:00

A new Japanese book about selective mutism was published on March.

The title of the book is Bamen kanmoku Q&A -Youchien ya gakkou de oshaberi dekinai kodomo tachi- (What is Selective Mutism? -How to help children who can't talk in school-)

The author is Knet, a nonprofit organization of selective mutism established in 2007. The editor is Keiko Kakuta, a clinical psychotherapist and the leader of Knet (and an acquaintance of mine).

This book is based on information exchange on the Internet. It includes many colums written by parents. Of course, it also includes information I provided on my Japanese web site The Selective Mutism Journal.

This book is written for the general public rather than specialists. So, it's easy to read. I guess this book will become a standard reference for Japanese parents, teachers and professionals who are interested in selective mutism.

Index of SM in Japan

Earning redemption

2008-04-30T05:31:00.001-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 5 Selective mutism and my high school years

Earning redemption

* * * * * * * * * *

The first time I went to η private high school was when I attended tentative entrance ceremony.

We freshmen of η high school were supposed to attend the ceremony. Along with the ceremony, orientation session, school uniform sales, etc. are scheduled for.

η high school was a mammoth school, so I saw hundreds of freshmen in the school. Wandering in the school, I happened to meet my former classmates. They also failed the entrance exams for their first-choice high school. In my region most junior high school students' first choices were public high school rather than private high school. I attended the tentative entrance ceremony with them.

When I attended an orientation session, one teacher said to us, "Even if you failed entrance exams for public high schools, you can earn redemption in university entrance exams."

I was very impressed by what he said. I decided to study hard to go to prestigious university at the moment. Instead, I got the thought of overcoming selective mutism out of my head.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Picture book about selective mutism 2 (Japan)

2008-04-20T04:58:00.000-07:00

Another picture book about selective mutism is Rika chan ga waratta (Rika laughed).

To put it more precisely, a photograph book. Kazuo Kashima, the author of the book and a former elementary school teacher, took a lot of photos of his class. This book includes many photos of Rika, a first-grade girl with selective mutism. This is a non-fiction book about Rika in his charge.

* * * * * * * * * *

In the story, Rika overcomes selective mutism.

But no professional intervenes in her. Her parents also don't help her.

She is helped by her classmates. Her classmates discuss how to reduce her anxiety and give her a helping hand.

* * * * * * * * * *

School is a place for learning. School children learn many subjects such as arithmetic, science, etc. But they also learn a lot through their daily activities, including how to care for a child with selective mutism. I thought that probably because this book is written by a former teacher, not a doctor or a counselor.

But I think it it better to see doctors or counselors rather than to make children think how to help a classmate with selective mutism. Even if teachers make children think, it needs to be based on teachers' understanding of selective mutism. Kashima was an experienced teacher at that time. I think he must understood selective mutism well.

Index of SM in Japan

Picture book about selective mutism 1(Japan)

2008-04-17T02:58:00.000-07:00

There are many picture books about selective mutism written in English. For instance, My Friend Daniel Doesn't Talk, Understanding Katie a Day in the Life of Elisa Shipon Blum Co and Cat's Got Your Tongue?.

Also in Japan, there is at least two picture books about selective mutism.

One of them is Banzai! Nakayama Kun (Hurray! Nakayama). The author is Kyoko Ota. She has written many children's books including: Hito ha Kuma to Tomodachi ni Nareruka? (Can Human Being Become Friends with Bear?), Mama, Daidaidaisuki! (I Love My Mom very very very much!), etc. The illustrator of the picture book is Tadao Miyamoto.

The hero of the book is Nakayama, a first grade boy. He gets into an elementary school, but can't speak in school. One day, he becomes to be able to speak in an empty classroom. And finally, he utters words in front of his classmates in the classroom.

The word "selective mutism" is not found in the book. But the story must be the story of selective mutism. The process of overcoming selective mutism is similar to desensitization.

Unlike fiction, it's not necessarily easy to overcome selective mutism, but this story might give moral support to children with selective mutism.

Index of SM in Japan

Uchi benkei

2008-04-03T04:49:00.000-07:00

Uchi benkei is a Japanese word that means people who are bossy at home but submissive outside. So, selective mutism may be an extreme form of uchi benkei (Many children with selective mutism are not so bossy at home, though).

Some Japanese people use a slang net benkei. Net benkei is people who are bossy on the Internet but submissive in the real world.

What is benkei ? Benkei is a warrior monk in 12th century. He served Minamoto no Yoshitsune, a leading general. He was a brave warrior, so people today use the word benkei as an analogy for bossy people.

Saito Musashibō Benkei (Wikipedia)
Minamoto no Yoshitsune (Wikipedia)

Index of SM in Japan

My graduation

2008-03-29T02:50:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

My graduation

* * * * * * * * * *

[Entrance exam of ε public high school]

I already passed entrance exam of η private high school. But I wished to go to ε public high school rather than η private high school. So, I studied hard to pass the entrance exam of ε public high school.

Before the exam, my junior high school hold assemblies for students to explain what to prepare for exams. I joined an assembly of applicants for ε public high school. I was surprised to see that M was also joined the assembly. M was my former classmate. When she and I were in the sixth grade, there was a rumor that she loved me. If she and I passed the entrance exam, we would go to the same high school.

The next day, entrance exams were held. The exams included a English listening comprehension test. After the exam, I felt a sense of accomplishment.

[Graduation ceremony]

A day after the exam, graduation ceremony was held. I graduated from junior high school. But to me, true graduation was when my future course was decided.

[Failed exam]

About a week ago, application results were announced at each public high school. I went to ε public high school to know whether I passed the exam. Examinee's numbers of successful candidates were presented on a bulletin board at the school. But my examinee's number was not listed. I failed the entrance exam.

When I stood in front of the bulletin board, a classmate of mine approached me. "Tomishige, you failed? Me, too." My face remained impassive, although I failed the entrance exam. As I have selective mutism, my face always impassive. But the classmate got angry when he looked at my face. "Aren't you frustrated, Tomishige? I'm so frustrated!"

[Leaving ceremony]

At the end of month leaving ceremony for teachers was held in my public junior high school. Attendance at the ceremony was optional. I attended the ceremony, because my homeroom teacher would leave the school. After the ceremony, I saw and greeted my teacher. She said to me, "I'm sorry you failed exam, Tomishige. I think you should be greedy." That was the last day I visited the junior high school.

* * * * * * * * * *

I graduated from junior high school. Although got to be able to smile slightly in school settings, I couldn't overcome selective mutism completely in this three years.

(To be continued to the next chapter)

Index of SM story

My first entrance exam

2008-03-23T03:44:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

My first entrance exam

* * * * * * * * * *

I had a parent-teacher-student meeting around the middle of the school year. The purpose of the meeting was to decide which high schools I applied to.

Under the local regulations we junior high school students could apply to only one public high school and one private high school. Most students' first choice was public high school. They applied to public high schools just to be on the safe side. I was not an exception.

At the meeting, my mother and I told my homeroom teacher which schools we wanted to apply. We wanted to apply to ε public high school and ζ private high school. My homeroom teacher agreed to apply to ε public high school. But she recommended us to η private high school, not ζ private high school. It was easier to pass the entrance exam of η high school than ζ high school.

My mother said to the teacher, "I worry that η high school is failing school." "Many parents who experienced entrance exam long time ago have negative image of η high school. But recently η high school makes a strong effort to raise the academic achievement of students. η high school is not a failing school now."

In the end, we decided to apply to ε public high school and η private high school. My first choice was ε public high school.

* * * * * * * * * *

Two month before the end of the school year, many private high schools hold entrance exams. That was the first time for me to take an entrance exam. I was quite nervous about my first entrance exam.

Before we students took exams, we were allowed to look at exam stations in advance. But when I went to the exam station, I got lost. So, I visited to Koban(police box) to ask policemen the way to the exam station. It was tough for me to ask directions, because I had selective mutism. But I managed to ask a policeman. When I arrived at the exam station, most students had already looked at the station and gone to home.

After that, exam day came. I could go to the exam station and take exams smoothly.

A few days after, test results were announced. We heard our test results from our homeroom teacher after school.

All students went out into the corridor. Our homeroom teacher called students one by one to enter classroom and told him or her test results. When I waited for a while, our homeroom teacher called me. I entered classroom. There was nobody except her and me in the classroom. She told me that I passed the entrance exam. But I showed no expression. I had selective mutism. "Aren't you happy? I heard from your mother that you worried a lot about your test results." I nodded in silence. "Just as I thought. Good thing you passed the exam."

In this way, I passed the entrance exam of η private high school. But my study was not over. I must pass the entrance exam of ε public high school. My first choice was ε public high school.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Privacy policy

2008-03-13T02:34:00.000-07:00

[Cookies and Web Beacons]

SMMM (Selective Mutism - My Memories) uses cookies and web beacons to collect data. The use of cookies and web beacons is an industry standard.

A Cookie is a small piece of information that web sites send to your computers temporarily and later retrieve. You can configure your web browser to reject Cookies. A web beacon is a small graphic image on a web page that tracks user's behavior.

SMMM use Cookies and web beacons for:

(1) Advertisement

SMMM use Cookies and web beacons in the course of advertisements (Google Adsense) being served on SMMM.

(2) Website Tracking

SMMM use Cookies and web beacons in the course of website tracking. SMMM track information such as your remote host, country/language, HTTP user agent, HTTP Referer, display resolution, etc.

Selectively mute child in a Japanese video game

2008-03-04T01:01:00.000-08:00

I found a selectively mute child. But he is not a real person. He is a character in a Japanese video game.

His name is Marc Brown. He is a character of Policenauts, a Japanese adventure game released in 1994.

Policenauts (Wikipedia)

The word "mutism" appear on the official website of Policenauts.

I'm surprised to know that producers of the game knew such an unknown disorder.

But I think that the producers misunderstood about selective mutism. Traumatic incident don't usually cause selective mutism.

The director of Policenauts is Hideo Kojima, a famous game designer. He was listed on Newsweek magazine's "10 most influential people to shape the future" in 2001.

Although I played video game in my childhood, I don't know Policenauts. I played Nintendo Entertainment System in the '80s.

Index of SM in Japan

Emotional disturbance

2008-02-08T15:52:00.000-08:00

Many Japanese involving selective mutism view that selective mutism is an "emotional disturbance."

I guess that view derives from government's policy on special education. Director-General, Elementary and Secondary Education Bureau, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) notified "About school children and students with disabilities" in 2002. In the notification, children with selective mutism is an object of education of emotional disturbance children.

* * * * * * * * * *

Children who can benefit from special speech classes

1 Autistic Children, etc. who can mostly study in normal classes and partly need special guidance.

2 Children with selective mutism, etc. mainly due to psychogenic factors who can mostly study in normal classes and partly need special guidance.

(from "About school children and students with disabilities")

* * * * * * * * * *

The authorities included selective mutism in emotional disturbance at least 41 years ago (1967), as far as I know. In 1967 Education Ministry conducted "An investigation on school children and students' psychosomatic disorder" and defined emotional disturbance as school refusal, neurosis, selective mutism, autism, mental illness, organic brain disorder, etc.

Index of SM in Japan

Severe bullying

2008-02-06T14:33:00.000-08:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

Severe bullying

* * * * * * * * * *

The ninth grade was one of the most important period of school life. We needed to decide our future course. Most students wished to go to high school and studied hard to pass entrance exams. I also studied hard to go to high school.

At such an important period, I was bullied by some male classmates almost every day. Fortunately, some kind female classmates helped me. But that aroused jealousy of male bullies, and their bullying got severe. One teacher told me that bullies were irritated because they had to study hard every day.

My self-esteem was damaged. I felt that I didn't deserve of going to junior high school and studying with classmates.

In addition to that, I had a problem at home. That also bothered me.

My grades were falling. My distress from bullying and family problems may have caused my academic failure. But that's no excuse.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

I got to know selective mutism through the Internet! (Japan)

2008-02-03T06:36:00.000-08:00

I got to know selective mutism through the Internet in my early 20s. I was surprised to read diagnosis of DSM-IV first. My childhood odd behavior meets the criteria of selective mutism very well. Until then, I hadn't known why I couldn't speak in unfamiliar settings. I had thought that I was the only strange child in the world.

But I was not an exception. I've met a lot of former or current Japanese SM sufferers or their mothers who get to know selective mutism through the Internet many years after the children present symptoms of selective mutism first.

That suggests how selective mutism is not known also in Japan. When teachers finds selectively mute children in elementary school, they don't always realize the children suffer selective mutism. So, they don't always tell the children or their parents about selective mutism. Parents, and of course, their children also don't know selective mutism. After many years, they happen to get to know selective mutism through the Internet.

Index of SM in Japan

Club (3)

2008-01-24T02:44:00.000-08:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

Club (3)

* * * * * * * * * *

As I mentioned earlier, I belonged to Igo and Shogi club. Igo is a strategic board game. Shogi is Japanese chess. But no club members played Igo. All members liked Shogi.

[Senpai, Kohai]

Senpai Kohai relationship is one of the most important element in club in Japan. Senpai is Kohai's upperclass student(s). Kohai is Senpai's underclass student(s). Kohai have to respect Senpai.

But some Kohai of mine didn't pay due repect to me.A Kohai of mine usually called me Tomishigekun. Kun is a Japanese title used towards one's juniors and contemporaries. Another Kohai sometimes insulted me and said, "I don't like Tomishigekun."

Indeed, in our club, members didn't traditionally stick to Senpai Kohai relationship very much. But even so, they were rudeness.

I guess that's because I was looked down on by them due to my mutism.

[Shogi Championships]

We took part in a team competition of Shogi Championships for junior high school in summer vacation. First, we challenged the local competition. But only two schools (including my school) participated in it. We won and advanced to the national competition. But we were beaten by natinal-class players.

When summer vacation ended and new school term began again, our club received a commendation from principal at all-school assembly. For some reason, I received the commendation as a representative of our club. My classmates and homeroom teacher were surprised to see that. "Tomishige took part in the national competition of Shogi!"

I was overestimated. We defeated only one team and advanced to the national competition. But I couldn't explain that. I had selective mutism. I was misunderstood.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Poem book of former SM sufferer (Japan)

2008-01-14T19:40:00.000-08:00

I found a Japanese poem book by former SM sufferer, Hana ni nosete ISBN 978-4286035819.

The author was Yui Natsukawa. According to her book, she was born in 1985. When she was the fifth grade, she was diagnosed as selective mutism. When she was the ninth grade, she refused to go to school due to emotional distress and became Hikikomori. She suffered from auditory hallucination, and When she was 17, she was hospitalized. But she overcame mental illnesses at 19.

One day, she contributed her poems to a poem contest and received an honorable mention. Publishers asked her to publish her poems. That changed her life. She has published two poem books.

* * * * * * * * * *

Although I only read her poems using Amazon's "search inside," I'll give my impression of her poem book Hana ni nosete.

Many of her poems seem to be written to provide encouragement to readers. I guess she and the publisher target those who are troubled about something, especially mental health problems.

I feel that her encouragement poems have persuasive power. That's because she also suffered many mental illnesses but overcome them.

Although the author is a former SM sufferer, this book is not well-known among Japanese former or current SM sufferers and their parents. So, I added this book to my website about selective mutism to show them.

http://smjournal.com/books1.html

Index of SM in Japan

Shugaku ryoko - School trip in Japan

2008-01-10T21:00:00.000-08:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

Shugaku ryoko - School trip in Japan

* * * * * * * * * *

Shugaku ryoko is one of the biggest school event in Japan. Shugaku ryoko, literally means "trip for learning", is school trip that aims to broaden students' horizons and to let students learn cooperation.

Shugaku ryoko was one of the most popular school event among students. Students are released from schoolwork and can enjoy trip with their friends. But for me, it was depressing event. I had no friends. I couldn't cooperate with students. I had selective mutism. Rather than Shugaku ryko, I liked schoolwork.

* * * * * * * * * *

Soon after I moved up to the ninth grade, my junior high school planned Shugaku ryoko for ninth grade students.

As part of preparation for trip, we students made Hans. Han is a group that belonged to classes. We had to travel in units of class and Han.
Almost all students had friends, and they grouped together and then made Hans. But I had no friends. When I was about to be left alone, two male classmates invited me to join their group. Han had to be composed of 3 male and 3 female students. But only 2 male students joined their group. So, they invited me. I joined their group.

* * * * * * * * * *

Our Shugaku ryoko was a trip of three days and two nights. Our destination was Kansai region, including Osaka and Kyoto.

I enjoyed school trip with no serious problems.

But I suffered from trouble when we reached the final destination Expoland, an amusement park in Osaka. Teachers accompanied by we students permitted to play freely in the park. So, almost all students began to play with their friends. But I couldn't. I had no friends. What I could do was wandering around rides and attractions alone and wait waiting for time to pass.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Selective mutism and school refusal (Japan)

2007-12-30T00:23:00.000-08:00

Some Japanese researchers have studied the relationship between selective mutism and school refusal.

Most of them have argued that selectively mute children don't generally refuse to attend school(for example, Sogame, 1973; Araki, 1979; Kawai, 1994).

But recent studies are lacking. School refusal today is different than the 70's and 80's (Kawai's study is based on studies in the 60's-80's).

Browsing the web, I found many stories of Japanese children with selective mutism who refuse to attend school.

I expect control studies. To carry out a control study, researchers need to gather children into two groups. One is composed of children with selective mutism. The other is control group that doesn't include selectively mute children. Then examine how many children refuse to attend school in both groups. Then compare both of them to examine whether significant difference exists or not.

In Europe and the U.S., control studies on selective mutism have been carried out. But in Japan, that have not.

[Related link]

Selective mutism and school refusal (The selective mutism journal/Japanese)
http://smjournal.com/ar071201.html

Index of SM in Japan

Ninth grade (2)

2007-12-27T05:15:00.000-08:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

Ninth grade (2)

* * * * * * * * * *

About half of the new classmates were my former classmates. But I had no friends in the class.

Y was in the same class. She was my eighth classmate. When Y and I were the eighth grade, she showed me many kindnesses. Soon after we moved up to the ninth grade, Y introduced me to some classmates as "a cute boy." So, I was accepted into them.

Another kind classmate was K. She was my fifth, sixth and eighth classmate. She had a close friend, S, and sometimes showed me many kindnesses with her.

But not all classmates were kind to me. Some classmates, especially male classmates, began to bully me.

I had no friends to help me. Instead of friends, female classmates, such as Y, K and S, helped me. But that aroused jealousy of male bullies, and their bullying got severe.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Selective mutism in Japanese college education and certification exam

2007-12-15T02:39:00.000-08:00

Some Japanese SM sufferer, ex sufferer and their parents say that Japanese professionals don't necessarily know about selective mutism.

Didn't Japanese professionals study selective mutism in college? Didn't they study selective mutism for certification exams before they got their jobs? Didn't they study selective mutism in OJT after they got their jobs?

[selective mutism in college education]

Browsing Japanese websites, I sometimes find people who have the experience of studying selective mutism in college. So, there seem to be colleges in Japan that teach selective mutism to students.

But I don't know which departments teach selective mutism. Similarly, I don't know whether selective mutism is taught in undergraduate courses or graduate courses.

Even if they studied selective mutism in college, they may forget the knowledge if they don't utilize it after they graduated from colleges.

[selective mutism in certification exam]

From what I gathered on the Internet, questions on selective mutism were asked on the national exam for medical practitioners, teacher employment exam, and child career employment exam.

I also gathered information about civil-service exam (psychology occupation) and certification exam for clinical psychology. But I couldn't confirm whether questions on selective mutism were asked on those exams.

Even if they studied selective mutism for exam, they may forget the knowledge if they don't utilize it after they passed the exam.

[selective mutism in OJT]

I don't know. :(

Index of SM in Japan

Ninth grade (1)

2007-12-07T06:01:00.000-08:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

Ninth grade

* * * * * * * * * *

By the time I was the ninth grade, my selective mutism seemed to get better. Soon after I moved up to the ninth grade, photographers came to our classroom and took pictures of us. One of those pictures is in our yearbook. The picture shows me laughing with my classmates. When I went to elementary school, I couldn't laugh in school. But when I was the ninth grade, I could laugh.

* * * * * * * * * *

New classroom teacher was a female art teacher. She had been just transferred from a board of education, so I didn't know her.

Since I was the fifth grade, my successive homeroom teachers had paid special attention to me. But the new teacher didn't. So, I was dissatisfied with her.

In retrospect, I think that I might have had a sense of entitlement. "I was a student with special needs. All teachers, especially my homeroom teacher, have to pay special attention to me." It's true that I was a student with special needs. Many teachers and classmates had done me many kindnesses. But that might cause me to have a sense of entitlement.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Is selective mutism your enemy?

2007-11-26T23:04:00.000-08:00

Most people think that selective mutism is enemy.

If children suffer from selective mutism, parents, teachers, therapists or physicians try to help them to overcome their mutism.

That is no exception in Japan. Many Japanese who once suffered or now suffer from selective mutism express their sufferings on their blogs or BBSes. They say, "overcome selective mutism," or "fight against selective mutism."

I can agree with them to some extent, because I also once suffered from selective mutism. So, I provide some information about treatment of selective mutism on my Japanese website The Selective Mutism Journal.

But I don't necessarily view my selective mutism as my enemy. I sometimes view it as a friend of mine. In addition, I view it as part of me. I think that is because I suffered from selective mutism about 10 years. I lead my life with anxiety. If someone said to me that selective mutism need to be treated when I suffered from it, I might felt depressed. I may have taken it to mean that mute children such as me should not live.

The view that selective mutism is enemy may relate to the philosophy of western medicine. Western medicine regard disease or disorder as enemy and combat them.

Good classmates

2007-11-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

Good classmates

* * * * * * * * * *

As I mentioned earlier, a few classmates bullied me. But most classmates didn't. They cherished me. Although they didn't know the medical term "selective mutism," they understood that there were reticent children like me out there.

Soon after moving up to the eighth grade, O, my classmate girl from the seventh grade, showed me many kindnesses. In addition, Y and her friends, my new classmate girls took an interest in me and also showed me many kindness. After several months, Y and her friends made friends with me. But on the other hand, O avoided me for some reason. I guessed that O felt it was difficult to keep close relations with me, because Y and O were not so friendly with each other.

The most kind classmate boy was S. He always took care of me. For instance, when we went on a school trip, he grouped me together with him not to isolate me.

There were many other classmates who took a favorable attitude to me. I was blessed with good classmates.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

This is the only English website devoted to providing information about SM in Japan

2007-11-14T20:48:00.000-08:00

There are many Japanese who are interested in selective mutism. Some of them have their websites and transmit information about selective mutism across the Internet. But most of them are written in Japanese.

As far as I know, no Japanese create English websites about selective mutism except me. I guess that this is the only website devoted to providing information about selective mutism in Japan.

I can provide wrong information and lead people all over the world to believe that, because no one know accurate information about selective mutism in Japan. But I must not do such a thing. I should try to provide accurate information.

Unfortunately, I'm not good at English writing. I guess that some Japanese who are interested in selective mutism have a high command of English compared to me. But they don't seem to have an interest in creating English website. I write this blog not only to provide information about selective mutism in Japan, but also to increase my English writing skills.

Index of SM in Japan

I love Enka!!!!!

2007-11-10T14:44:00.000-08:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

I love Enka!!!!!

* * * * * * * * * *

When I was the eighth grade, I was attracted to Enka. Enka is a genre of Japanese popular song.

Enka (Wikipedia article)

It was odd, because Enka is popular among older people, not young people. None of my classmates probably liked Enka. They liked J-pop, J-Rock or Western music.

Why was I attracted to Enka?

[Sentimental and melancholy melody]

Many Enka melodies are sentimental and melancholy. That grabbed my interest. I thought that my childhood was tragedy rather than comedy.

[Life]

One important thema of Enka is life. Although I was a child, I often questioned the meaning of life.

[Isolation from children my age]

I felt that I was isolated from children my age since I'd had selective mutism. That seemed to arouse strange feelings.

I seemed to feel bitter hostility to children my age in my heart. So, I detested music they loved, such as J-pop, J-Rock or Western music. To me, these were evil music. My attention focused on music they didn't like, Enka. When I listened to Enka, I sometimes felt pleasure in listening to music that children my age aren't interested in.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

A mystery of Japanese researchers

2007-10-31T02:42:00.000-07:00

I've read many literature on selective mutism on international peer reviewed journals (e.g. Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry). The authors are American, European, or even Israeli. But I've rarely seen Japanese.

Japanese researchers contribute to domestic journals. But almost none of them to international peer reviewed journals.

From Bachelor of Economics' point of view, it's odd. Some Japanese economists contribute their papers to international peer reviewed journals. It's an honor for them to appear in such journals, especially top journals. That's an incentive for them.

Of course, there can be no comparison between economics and child psychiatry. But it's common that researchers discuss issues on international journals.

Why do Japanese researchers contribute only to domestic journals? Some of them must know that international discussion on selective mutism exist, because they cite many English-written literature.

As far as I know, so do Chinese and Korean researchers.

Index of SM in Japan

A naughty boy and a delinquent boy

2007-10-30T06:11:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

A naughty boy and a delinquent boy

* * * * * * * * * *

[A naughty boy]

I was bullied in school when I was the first-fourth grade. But when I was the fifth-seventh grade, few classmates bullied me.

When I moved up to the eighth grade, I was bullied again.

The bully's name was M. He teased me in various ways. He was a childish and naughty boy.

His way of bullying was also childish. For example, he sometimes hid my pen case or shoes. Grade school children may do so, but he was a junior high school student.

Oddly enough, his academic performance was better than mine. I was frustrated.

[A delinquent boy]

There was a delinquent boy in my class. I (and other classmates) was scared of him. If I attracted the attention of him, I was bullied by him.

[Signs of maladaptation]

Although most classmates were kind to me, a few of them weren't. Bullying was not so serious, but I began to show signs of maladaptation.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Economic impact of selective mutism

2007-10-25T05:10:00.000-07:00

I wasn't psychiatrist nor psychologist. In fact, I majored in economics when I went to college.

I searched the literature that analyze selective mutism from economists' point of view. But I couldn't find them as I expected. But I found related literature. I read only abstract, though.

[Economic impact of autism]

One of them is Jarbrink, K., and Knapp, M. (2001). The economic impact of autism in Britain. Autism, 5(1), 7-22. According to the abstract, this study estimates economic consequences of autism in the UK. The lifetime cost for a person with autism exceeded ￡2.4 million. The main costs are for living support and day activities.

[Economic impact of selective mutism?]

I get a hint from the study. "Economic impact of selective mutism." But as far as Japan, almost all children with selective mutism don't receive living support nor go to day activity centers.

[Direct cost]

As far as selective mutism, some Japanese children see doctors or counselors. Some of their parents pay their money to see doctors or counselors. But some don't.

Some children undergo counseling in schools or child consultation centers. If they do so, their parents didn't have to pay counseling fee. But as the saying goes, there's no such thing as a free lunch. School counseling costs are covered by tax revenues or tuition. Counseling in child consultation centers are financed from tax revenues.

Some children may not see doctors nor counselors. Some of them are left without being noticed their selective mutism. Even if they are recognized as selectively mute children, teachers and parents don't necessarily refer to doctors nor counselors. When the children grow up but their symptom don't disappear, they or their parents may need to pay some cost.

So, how much cost?

[Indirect cost]

If we think cost in the context of economics, we also need to estimate "opportunity cost."

Let's think of a working mother. She recognizes that her daughter has selective mutism. So, she reduces her working hours to help her daughter. To help her daughter, she gives up her income that she earned before. The income that she gives up is opportunity cost.

Homemakers who have children with selective mutism also pay opportunity cost. They may study about selective mutism, negotiate with teachers or share their thoughts with other mothers on web forums. But if they put their time into any jobs, they will earn some income. That's opportunity cost.

Children also pay opportunity cost. For instance, if nobody treat thier selective mutism, their disturbances will interfere their educational or future occupational achievements. That may decrease their lifetime wages. That's opportunity cost.

[The most cost-effective treatment]

Anyway, I think that the most cost-effective treatment for selective mutism is early intervention. If early intervention is made, the symptom will disappear soon. But if early intervention isn't made, prognosis will be less favorable. If the symptom worsens, it takes considerable time and money to treat selective mutism.

But as far as Japan, early intervention is not necessarily made. I think that's because of imperfect information. Not all people know about selective mutism. Not all people know early intervention is cost-effective.

Three girl students

2007-10-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

Three girl students

* * * * * * * * * *

[Three girl students]

As soon as the new school term started, our homeroom teacher changed seating arrangements. At first we students seated according to the Japanese syllabary. But three girl students, K, N and Y suggested changing seating arrangements, and our homeroom teacher accepted it.

Seating was decided by drawing lots. The three girl students took the lead in drawing lots. From what I saw, they suggested changing seating arrangements just because they wanted to change them. I thought how pushy and impish girls they were. Although most students like changing seating arrangements, they usually didn't suggest it to teacher as soon as the new school term started.

Casting my lot and looking at it, I was very surprised. I was assigned to K's neighbor. K was the leader of the three girl students who suggested changing seating arrangements. In addition, a word Atari! (winning ticket!) was written in the lot by K.

In this way, I seated next to K. K and her friends' characters were completely opposite to me. But they cherished me. Curious to say, they often said, "Tomishige is Kawaii (cute) !"

[Y, a girl]

Among the three girls, particularly Y had a strong interest in me. Y was an active girl. She was tall, leggy and beautiful.

One episode I remember was when she and I ran together in an athletic meet. The athletic meet was held soon after the new school term started. She asked me to take part in an obstacle race in pairs with her, and I accepted it. She belonged to a track and field club. On the other hand, I wasn't good at running. But she adapted to my pace of running in the race.

Another episode was when I cleaned the entrance of the school. We students were supposed to clean the school. And a half of students of my class, including me, were assigned to clean the entrance of the school. But almost all students neglected cleaning. Believe it or not, only I cleaned the entrance. Then Y held a broom and said, "Tomishige, clean with me."

Y was very kind to me. I was sometimes helped by her. I didn't know why she was so kind to me. But I felt deeply grateful for her kindness. Even when I promoted to the ninth grade, we were in the same class. She had been very thoughtful of me until we graduated from the junior high school.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Hospitalized children with selective mutism in Japan

2007-10-10T05:07:00.000-07:00

I like reading the literature about selective mutism. The other day, I bought a Japanese journal to read a paper on selective mutism. But it costs an arm and a leg. I live in poverty. :(

Some Japanese researchers publish case studies on hospital treatment for selective mutism.

A representative example is Mitsuhiro Tanzi's study (2002) "Long-term prognosis of children with elective muism who receive hospital treatment" in Bulletin of the Faculty of Social Welfare, Hanazono University, 10, 1-9. Tanzi reports 11 children with elective mutism who received hospital treatment from April 1982 to March 1988. Tanzi also presented the study to The Japanese Association of Educational Psychology. You can read the extract from http://ci.nii.ac.jp/naid/110001887806/. The web site is provided by National Institute of Informatics (Japan).

Another recent study about hospital treatment I know was Shigemori Kyutoku et al. (1983)'s case report. Shigermori et al. reports a case that lasts mutism for seven years.

But they are rare cases. Most Japanese professionals don't use hospital treatment for selective mutism. Nonverbal treatment methods, for instance, play therapy and sandplay therapy, are popular. Behavioral therapy is also popular but is not frequently introduced as Europe and America.

Index of SM in Japan

New teacher

2007-10-06T05:14:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

New teacher

* * * * * * * * * *

I was promoted to the eighth grade.

Before new school term started, we students were informed of new class composition. I was surprised to know the class composition.

[New teacher]

My new homeroom teacher was a young male teacher. He was a physical education teacher and was a adviser to a track and field club in my school.

He was known as an intimidating teacher. He sometimes imposed physical punishment on students.

When I was the seventh grade, I took his PE lessons. Receiving his lessons, I thought that I didn't want him to be my homeroom teacher.

[Nervous diarrhea]

At the first day of the school term, I had diarrhea. I guessed that my worries about new school life caused the diarrhea.

At that time opening ceremony was about to start. I needed to go to the bathroom. But I had selective mutism. It was difficult for me to ask my homeroom teacher's permission to go to the bathroom. But I managed to get his permission.

A few weeks later, I had diarrhea again. I managed to get my homeroom teacher's permission and went to the bathroom again.

Since then, when I'd tried to say something to him, he'd always asked me, "Bathroom?"

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Selective mutism on Yahoo!Japan Directory

2007-09-28T05:31:00.000-07:00

Here is Yahoo! Directory on selective mutism.

Directory > Health > Diseases and Conditions > Selective Mutism

But there is no directory about selective mutism on Yahoo!Japan.

At present two Japanese websites about selective mutism are listed on Yahoo!Japan.
The one is in the anxiety disorder directory.
The other is in the handicapped children directory.

Yahoo!Japan have a dominating presence among Japanese search engine sites. Japanese people use Yahoo!Japan search rather than Google search. So, it's important for Japanese web masters whether their web sites are listed on Yahoo!Japan directory or not.

I also manage a Japanese website The Selective Mutism Journal. I tried to submit my websie to Yahoo!Japan several times, but my website has never been submitted. :(

Index of SM in Japan

Unrequited love

2007-09-26T05:40:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

Unrequited love

* * * * * * * * * *

I loved one girl, K. She was a classmate girl. I didn't know how she thought of me, but I guessed that it was unrequited love.

In contrast to me, she had very sociable, convivial and extrovert personality.

In retrospect, I tended to love such girls when I suffered from selective mutism. I had a desire to change my extremely shy personality then. So, I was attracted by their personality.

* * * * * * * * * *

One episode I remember was that I touched her shoulder.

One day, I was asked her friend to get K. Ordinary students will utter a word to get K. But I had selective mutism. So, I approached her, touched her shoulder, and then point to her friend. K understood what I wanted to say and went to her.

I thought that I was lucky to be selectively mute. I was allowed to touch her shoulder because every classmate understood my selective mutism. If I didn't have selective mutism, my behavior might be regarded as sexual harassment.

* * * * * * * * * *

But I didn't confess my love to her.

I fell in love with many girls. But strange to say, I didn't want to go out with them when I had selective mutism.

I must have been odd boy. Most boys felt in love with the opposite sex want to go out with them. But I didn't. Why?

[Taijin kyofusho]

When I had selective mutism, I felt fear of communicating with others. In Japan, the symptom is called Taijin Kyofusyo. I guess that my fear of others was so terrible that my fear might exceed the appetite for communicating with girls.

[Sense of alienation]

I had a sense of alienation to children of my generation. I felt that I was a alien or something. My selective mutism was one of the most important factor causing a sense of alienation.

So, I felt that I couldn't go out with girls.

[My serious personality]

I was often called a "serious man." I was so serious that I believed that it was unwholesome to date with girls in puberty or adolescence.

* * * * * * * * * *

At the last month of the final school term, my homeroom teacher changed seating. It was the last time my teacher changed seating.

As a result of drawing lots, I was assigned to K's neighbor. I felt as if I was in heaven!

But when I thought carefully, I felt anxious for K. Were K satisfied to sit next to me? She was a chatterbox. On the other hand, I had selective mutism.

I spent a month next to K. When she left her desk, she became a chatterbox. But when she sat on her desk, she became mute. It was hard for me. She didn't seem to be happy when she sat next to me.

* * * * * * * * * *

Closing Exercises were held on March. In Japan school term starts in April and ends in March.

My teachers and classmates understood my mutism, although none of them might know the term "selective mutism." No people blamed me. They were very kind to me.

But my selective mutism didn't improve during the year.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Kanner's "psychogenic mutism"

2007-09-14T03:13:00.000-07:00

[Kanner's classification of mutism]

childhood schizophrenia
infantile autism
idiocy mutism
deaf mutism
hysteric mutism
psychogenic mutism

The source of the classification is Leo Kanner's Child Psychiatry.

"Psychogenic mutism" is what is now called selective mutism.

Kanner's classification of mutism has been cited by Japanese literature on selective mutism. On the Internet, Wikipedia (Japanese edition) classifies mutism based on Kanner's classification.
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%B7%98%E9%BB%99

But I've never seen the classification in English literature at present.

* * * * * * * * * *

Incidentally, according to Kanner's classification, where should these terms be classified into?

akinetic mutism
cerebellar mutism

Index of SM in Japan

My neighbor

2007-09-13T06:32:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

My neighbor

* * * * * * * * * *

My homeroom teacher changed seating every month. Seating was decided by drawing lots.

I loved one classmate girl. I prayed that I would be assigned to her neighbor. But my pray didn't work.

* * * * * * * * * *

One day, I was assigned to Y's neighbor as a result of drawing lots.

Y was a classmate girl. It may be rude to say this, but she seemed to be a quiet and undistinguished girl in my class. Maybe some classmates didn't know her. In a way, I thought that she resembled me.

But when I first seated next to her, my impression of her changed.

She spoke to me pleasantly. She was very friendly with me. Until then, I had thought that she seemed to be undistinguished. But when I got close with her, I first realized her pleasant personality.

One episode I remember was that she said an interesting thing to me. "I think Tomishige is funny at heart." I'd never met people saying such a thing. I was a child with selective mutism. I was an impassive at school. But actually when I went back home, I became a funny boy.

* * * * * * * * * *

Unfortunately, Y moved to Tokyo at the end of the school year.

I wanted to say something to her, but I couldn't.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Selective mutism BBSes and FORUMs in Japan

2007-09-06T02:37:00.000-07:00

Here is a Forum about selective mutism that I administer. Japanese only, though.

http://atbb.jp/smjournal/index.php

There are many BBSes and Forums about selective mutism in Japan. Administrators are individuals. Some of them are people who suffered (suffer) selective mutism. Some of them are mothers of children with selective mutism.

Many Japanese websites about selective mutism are administered by individuals. So are Japanese BBSes and Forums.

But I think that the largest BBS or Forum about selective mutism is a thread of 2ch.

http://life8.2ch.net/test/read.cgi/utu/1183563051/l50

2ch is the largest Internet forum in Japan. One of the characteristics of 2ch is that people can post their comments anonymously. I guess that's one of the reason why 2ch is so large.

Index of SM in Japan

My academic performance

2007-09-05T14:33:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

My academic performance

* * * * * * * * * *

[I was very good at ...]

English / Mathematics / Social studies

[I was good at...]

Japanese language / Science / Music

[I wasn't good at...]

Physical education / Art / Craft / Home economics

* * * * * * * * * *

Except for practical subjects, my academic performance was above average.

In Japanese junior high school, academic performance was measured by written exam. But practical subjects (Music, Physical education, Art, Craft, Home economics) were exception. In terms of practical subjects, practical exam was also important.

We Japanese children were obliged to learn English from junior high school. Believe it or not, I always got good grades on English exam, although I was not good at Japanese. :(

Social studies was one of the most favorite subject. I was a Shakai Gakari. Shakai Gakari was a class committee member that assists social studies teacher.

But my academic performance in practical subjects was poor on the whole. I didn't like practical subjects. Although most male students liked physical education, I didn't like it.

* * * * * * * * * *

Aside from my academic performance, our homeroom teacher recorded our submission status. We had to submit many kinds of works to the teacher. Almost all students, especially male students, failed to submit those works at least once. But believe it or not, I never failed to do that.

I was a very obedient student.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Virginia tech shooting and selective mutism

2007-08-30T02:58:00.000-07:00

The Wall Street Journal reported August 20 that Seung Hui Cho, the Virginia Tech gunman, was diagnosed with selective mutism.

The news spread. The Washington Post, USA Today, International Herald Tribune, Associated Press, ABC News also reported the relationship between Cho and selective mutism.

When I searched "selective mutism" on Google, a picture of Cho was displayed on the search result. I was surprised. The picture was from The Washington Post web site.

Dr Elisa Shipon-Blum's comments were appeared on ABC News and roanoke.com, a web site of a Virginia-based newspaper.

But as far as I know, no Japanese media report Cho's selective mutism. So, I reported that on my Japanese blog "The Selective Mutism Journal".

* * * * * * * * * *

Before The Wall Street Journal's report, some people guessed that Cho suffered from selective mutism.

socialanxiety.com sent out a press release on April. The press release suggested the possibility that Cho suffered from selective mutism.

Club (2)

2007-08-29T02:56:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

Club (2)

* * * * * * * * * *

I joined Igo and Shogi club.

Igo and Shogi club was a relatively small club. All members were boy students. Although club name was Igo and Shogi club, no students were interested in Igo. All students played Shogi.

* Shogi is Japanese chess.

Six new students joined the club. Some of them were brilliant students. They were enthusiastic about Shogi and were strong Shogi players. But some of them weren't interested in Shogi. They joined the club because they thought that the club must be easy.

Third-year students in the club were especially brilliant. All of them were high-achieving students and were members of the student council of my junior high school.

Mr. K was one of them. He was the student council president. I respected him. He was the strongest Shogi player of the club.

[My first play]

Club members played Shogi freely.

But I didn't (couldn't) play game at first. I stood around in club room in silence. I even avoided club members. I was a student with selective mutism.

One day, one new club member tried to play a game with me. But I hesitated. Then, a teacher advisor of the club said to him with joke, "Tomishige is a great man. If you want to play with him, you need to make a bow to him." So, he made a bow to me with joke and said, "Yoroshiku Onegai Shimasu." So, I played with him. That's my first play.

When I think back, I felt bad for him.

[Choko]

I had a bad habit. While I played the game, I took a lot of time thinking. In Japanese it's called Choko. It must have been a nuisance for my opponents. Although no opponents said to me that my Choko was a nuisance, I felt guilty.

Since I had selective mutism, I had been indecisive. But I couldn't break my bad habit.

[Speak 2,000 words a day!]

Manager of the club sometimes visited my classroom. He had a role in taking care of new students like me.

He often gave me some advises about my mutism. "Speak 2,000 words a day. If you achieve the goal, then speak 3,000 words a day."

Of course, I couldn't.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Kandou

2007-08-21T15:14:00.000-07:00

Mutism is English.

In Japanese, mutism is called Kanmoku. Kan means "sealing" or "shutting one's mouth." Moku means "becoming silent."

In the Japanese blogosphere, many people interested in selective mutism also use a word Kandou. Kan means "sealing," as I mentioned earlier. Dou means "moving." So, Kandou means "sealing one's moving," in other word, "becoming immobile" or "freezing."

But no Japanese dictionary lists the word Kandou. Who coined the word?

An acquaintance of mine taught me that Kandou is coined by Hirofumi Kawai, author of Bamen Kanmokuji no Shinri to Shido (Psychology and guidance of children with selective mutism).

(Children with selective mutism have) behavioral inhibition tendencies. They are slow in their movements and behaviors. Especially when they get worse, their movements themselves were inhibited, and they seals their movements. So to speak, they become Kandou.

Index of SM in Japan

Club (1)

2007-08-19T20:22:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

Club (1)

* * * * * * * * * *

At my junior high school we had to belong to some club.

Club can be classified into two types. One is sport club. For instance, baseball club, basket ball club, track-and-field club, etc. The other is culture club. For instance, brass band club, art club, science club, etc.

[Sport club]

At first I was going to join sport club. I thought that I might be able to change myself if I was trained in sport club. As a student with selective mutism, I wanted to change my anxious temperament.

But seeing other students who were going to join sport club, I abandoned that idea. I was too different from them. I was not active as they were. I had no confidence in going through rigorous training with them.

[Igo and Shogi club]

Fortunately, my school had Igo and Shogi club. Igo is a strategic board game. Shogi is Japanese chess. I was good at Shogi, so I decided to join the club. Of course, Igo and Shogi club was a culture club, not a sport club.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Selective mutism offline meeting in Japan

2007-08-16T05:39:00.000-07:00

Some Japanese people with selective mutism have offline meeting.

Although selective mutism is known as a childhood disorder, some people suffer from mutism even in adult. Of course, many people overcome mutism. But even if they get to be able to speak, they sometimes have some lasting effect.

So, some people have offline meeting to share their worries. Offline meeting also seems to help them to deepen exchanges and solve their problems.

But I have never attended offline meeting. I live in a remote city, so I can't afford to pay transportation cost. If I have more money, I want to use them for studying selective mutism.

Index of SM in Japan

Study in junior high school

2007-08-14T16:28:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

Study in junior high school

* * * * * * * * * *

[Educational district]

My school district was also known as educational district. Many students had education-minded parents and therefore tended to study hard.

I was not an exception. My mother expected me to go to prestigious high school. Believe it or not, my parents graduated from one of the most prestigious high school in my school district. In addition, I had to rebuild my family because I was the eldest brother of a fatherless family. So, I thought that I also had to study hard to enter prestigious high school.

It goes without saying that educational background is important to make a career in Japan. Especially in my region, graduating from prestigious high school is more important than graduating from prestigious college.

[Another important matter]

Unlike elementary schools, junior high schools conduct final term exams, mid-term exams and academic ability tests. Of course, elementary schools in Japan also conduct exams, but junior high school exams are more important and difficult than elementary school exams.

I desired to overcome my selective mutism. But I had another important matter to tackle.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Helping your child with selective mutism in Taiwan and Japan

2007-08-06T03:15:00.000-07:00

Helping your child with selective mutism ,a Canadian book that shows practical method of overcoming selective mutism, is translated into Chinese (sold in Taiwan) and Japanese.

In Taiwan that book is translated into 幫助選擇性不說話的孩子. In Japan 場面緘黙児への支援.

August 2005
Helping your child with selective mutism is published.

February 2007
Taiwanese translation is published.

July 2007
Japanese translation is published.

I wish that German books about selective mutism were also translated into English or Japanese. In German many books about selective mutism are published. But because of the language barrier, I can't read them.

Tomishige-chan

2007-08-04T04:40:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

Tomishige-chan

* * * * * * * * * *

[New homeroom teacher]

Our new homeroom teacher was a young male teacher. He was a teacher of music and was a adviser to a volleyball club in my school.

[Shy teacher]

From what I saw, he was very sociable with students. As a student with selective mutism, I felt envy of his sociability. But surprisingly, he told us that he was actually very shy with strangers.

I was surprised to hear that and felt close to him. He seemed to be introvert but behaved as if he had been an extrovert. But I thought that I was not shy as he was. My shyness was extreme. I could hardly utter words in school.

[Tomishige-chan]

Fortunately he understood me. Although I didn't speak in school, he didn't force me to utter words.

He sometimes talked about me in our class on purpose. I guess his intention was to prevent me from being isolated from students.

One day when we attended his music class, he called me "Tomishige-chan." "Chan" is a Japanese diminutive suffix. But usually "Chan" is attached to young children or girls. Why he called me "Tomishige-chan" was a mystery. But my classmates also began to call me "Tomishige-chan" with affection.

Thanks to my homeroom teacher's consideration, I was not bullied. I was accepted by classmates. I was viewed as a serious and bright boy by my classmates.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

A Japanese essay about selective mutism written by a teacher

2007-07-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

I read a Japanese essay about selective mutism Hanaseru youninatta Masaesan (Ms. Masae gets to be able to speak), written in 1983. The author is Yasunori Ishikawa, a former teacher of elementary school.

The book is characterized by showing teacher's point of view about selective mutism. We can hardly find books or blogs written by teachers. Many Japanese books about selective mutism is written by therapists. Many Japanese blogs about selective mutism is written by people who suffered (or suffer) from selective mutism or their mothers.

The author administered controversial " treatment." He sometimes forced Masae to speak. When she wouldn't speak, he shouted at her or hit her head as hard as he could.

As a teacher, the author seemed to think that he needed to set goals (for instance, speaking in a social setting) and made children achieve them even if they reject that. That's education. But therapists don't think that way. They emphasize acceptance.

The author also tried to conduct comprehensive educational activity to open Masae's heart and recommended her to read books to promote her intellectual development. I think that is estimable.

Index of SM in Japan

New school life

2007-07-20T20:45:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 4 Selective mutism and my junior high school years

New school life

* * * * * * * * * *

I entered D public junior high school.

There were three elementary schools in D junior high school district.

a) A elementary school: I went to this school until I transferred to C elementary school.
b) B elementary school
c) C elementary school: I graduated from this school.
d) D junior high school: Most children who graduated from A, B, and C elementary school go on to this school.

So, I enrolled in the same school as my old classmates.

But actually I wanted to go to another school if possible. I thought that I might overcome my selective mutism if I went to a school where no one knew me.

In addition, I had a concern. If I went to D junior high school, I would meet students who once bullied me in A elementary school.

[New classmates]

I met new classmates.

Surprisingly, they included K and S, friends of mine. So, my anxiety about school was reduced a little. I guessed that Y, my former homeroom teacher, took into account my anxious temperament.

More surprisingly, they also included my former classmates who once bullied me when I had gone to A elementary school. But their attitude towards me changed significantly. They didn't bullied me, but instead they were friendly to me.

Besides, M, a former friend of mine, was also in the same class. He remembered me. But M and I didn't get friendly with each other as we used to be. M was friends with other students. I was also friends with K and S.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Japanese studies of selective mutism (1950 - 1959)

2007-07-14T17:38:00.000-07:00

As far as I know, the first Japanese study on selective mutism is "Kuchi wo Kikanai Kodomo" ("Children who don't speak"), published in March 1951 in Jidou Shinri to Seishin Eisei (Child psychology and mental health). The author is Shiro Takagi, who worked in National Kokufudai Hospital.

The literature is based on an examination conducted by Takagi and his colleagues. They examined mental health of elementary school children from January 1949 to March 1950.

Takagi also wrote a study that mentions selective mutism. The one is "Shogakko niokeru Seishin Eiseijou no Mondai nitsuite" ("On mental health problem in elementary school") published in December 1951 in Gakko Hoken no Kenkyu (Studies on school health). The other is "Mondaiji no Hassei Genninron" ("Etiology of children with mental disorders"), published in 1952 in Ijouji (Chindren with mental disorders).

Shiro Nakagawa wrote a study "Sankankogyochiiki niokeru Gakudo no Seishinhoken Igakuteki Kenkyu" ("A psychiatric research into school children in mountainous industrial area") in 1952 in Ijouji (Chindren with mental disorders).

In 1956 Takeshi Goto wrote a case study "Jochosyogai niyoru Kanmokuji nitaisuru Shinriryoho no Ichijirei" ("Psychotherapeutic experience with a mute child") in Osakashiritsudaigaku Kaseigakubu Kiyo (Reports of the science of living). Goto used Allen, H.F.'s non-directive play therapy and succeeded in treating selective mutism.

In 1959 a noteworthy study was published in Kitakanto Igaku (The Kitakanto Medical Journal) . Kikuo Uchiyama wrote "Shoni Kanmokusho nikansuru Kenkyu" ("Studies on the Childhood Mutism"). As far as I know, it is one of the most full-scale study of selective mutism in Japan. His study consists of two studies. The one is about factors of the symptom formation. The other is about therapeutic procedures.

In the 60's more studies of selective mutism were published.

Index of SM in Japan

Selective mutism and 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

2007-07-09T01:20:00.000-07:00

I found an intriguing Japanese essay Boku no toriatsukai setsumeisho - Mama ha shinmai therapist (An instruction manual of my son - The mother is a novice at therapist).

The writer is a child therapist who have a selectively mute son with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome, a genomic disorder.

I know that there have already been some studies about genomic disorder and selective mutism. The one is about an association with fragile X syndrome and selective mutism [1]. The other is about a deletion of the short arm of chromosome 18 with selectively mute child [2].

But I first hear a child with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome who is colonized by selective mutism.

* * * * * * * * * *

[1] Hagerman RJ, Hills J, Scharfenaker S, Lewis H (1999). Fragile X syndrome and selective mutism. American Journal of Medical Genetics. 83(4), 313-317.

[2] Grosso S, Cioni M, Pucci L, Morgese G, Balestri P. (1999). Selective mutism, speech delay, dysmorphisms, and deletion of the short arm of chromosome 18: a distinct entity? Journal of Neurology, Neurosurgery & Psychiatry. 67, 830-831.

Index of SM in Japan

Graduation

2007-07-07T04:37:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 3 I suffer from severe selective mutism

Graduation

* * * * * * * * * *

[School memories]

Before graduation, we school children had to write an essay about school memories. The essay would appear in yearbook.

Most classmates had pleasant memories and wrote them. But I didn't have such memories. I don't know whether that was because I suffered from selective mutism.

In the end, I wrote a memory of Gasshuku (a Japanese word that means "lodging together"). Although Gasshuku was a painful event for me, I wrote that Gasshuku was one of the most pleasant memory.

[Graduation ceremony]

The graduation ceremony was held in gymnasium in late March. We received our diploma from principal.

Then we returned to classroom. Our homeroom teacher said a final farewell to us.

And lastly, we handed carnations to our teacher one at a time. Handing carnations, almost all classmates said "Arigatou gozaimashita" (Thank you very much) to him.

But only I handed a carnation to him without uttering a word. I also wanted to thank him, but I couldn't.

* * * * * * * * * *

In this way, I graduated from elementary school.

I suffered from selective mutism when I was the fourth grade. Since then, three years had passed. But my mutism didn't disappear. Even worsened.

I went on to junior high school without curing selective mutism.

(To be continued to the next chapter)

Index of SM story

Japanese video about selective mutism

2007-06-30T00:34:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0iA8E_kWUCM

I made a Japanese video about selective mutism.

[Translation]

Selective Mutism

An emotional disorder characterized by a failure to speak in certain situations such as schools because of mental problems despite the ability to speak in home.

It is said that about less than 1 percent children exhibit the symptom.

They are not ordinary shy children.

Their problems are not only a failure to speak, but also academic failure, social withdrawal from peer groups, and so on.

If you meet children with selective mutism, enhance their confidence, not force them to speak.

The Selective Mutism Journal
http://smjournal.com/

Sound Avenue
http://www40.tok2.com/home/sarami/

Gasshuku

2007-06-27T04:49:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 3 I suffer from severe selective mutism

Gasshuku

* * * * * * * * * *

Gasshuku - A Japanese word that means "lodging together."

My school hosted Gasshuku for fifth and sixth grade children many times. For most children, Gasshuku was one of the most pleasant event. But for me, it was painful event.

Being a child with selective mutism, I didn't like group activity like Gasshuku.

Besides, we had to take a bath together at night in Gasshuku. Being extremely shy, I was hesitant to get naked in front of a group.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

I cannot speak English

2007-06-17T22:23:00.001-07:00

Many Japanese can read English, but few can speak. And I was not an exception.

When I was in a bus yesterday, a person from another country asked me whether the bus went through train station or not in English!

At that time I read a literature about selective mutism written in English. So, he might have thought that I could understand English.

But as I mentioned earlier, I could read English, but could not speak. So, I was a little puzzled.

In the end, I said to him a word, "No." I meant to say that the bus did not go though train station. He said to me "Thank you" with smile, and got off the bus.

Selectively mute child at puberty

2007-06-12T22:09:00.000-07:00

* * * * * * * * * *

Chapter 3 I suffer from severe selective mutism

Selectively mute child at puberty

* * * * * * * * * *

M seems to love Tomishige.

I heard a rumor from my classmate.

M was my classmate. She was a neighbor of K, a friend of mine. She was very popular with boys.

Her behavior toward me was strange.

For instance, in an art class, when I was painting, she came over to me and said, "Would it be all right if I use your water holder?" But her desk was long away from mine. I couldn't understand why she came all the way to my place.

But she didn't confessed her love to me. I was not sure whether she loved me or not then.

Whether she loved me or not, the rumor enhanced my confidence enormously. Until then, I suffered from low self-esteem and feelings of inadequacy. But I may have been considered as attractive by the opposite sex.

* * * * * * * * * *

I met another girl who was interested in me. Every time she met me, she said, "Tomishige, cute!"

She was also the 6th grade, but she was not my classmate. Why she knew me was a mystery to me.

But her attitude toward me also enhanced my confidence.

* * * * * * * * * *

Whoever praised me, my self-esteem was still low. But my confidence was enhanced enormously when I felt loved by girls. I may have been a lustful boy.

(To be continued)

Index of SM story

Chinese literature on selective mutism

2007-05-22T04:54:00.000-07:00

You can search Chinese literature on selective mutism.

http://search.cnki.net/index.aspx

As long as I know, selective mutism has been studied at least since 1979 in China.

* * * * * * * * * *

[related links]

http://ci.nii.ac.jp/en/
http://ci.nii.ac.jp/

CiNii is provided by National Institute of Informatics. You can search Japanese Literature on selective mutism.

CAMPUSMON.COM

CAMPUSMON.COM is Korean site. You can search Korean Literature on selective mutism.