The Selective Mutism Summer Vacation & Back-To-School Guide: Recommendations & Strategies for Building Social Communication Skills

by Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum

Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum’s ‘The Selective Mutism Summer Vacation and Back-To-School Guide; Recommendations and Strategies for Building Social Communication Skills’ is an excellent resource for parents, educators, therapists and others who spend time with a child with Selective Mutism. This 80-page book is beautifully designed with graphics and written in an easy-to-understand way. The guide consists of recommendations and strategies to build social communication skills during summer break as well as both preparing for and start of the new school year. The book consists of 3 parts. Part 1 focuses on understanding Selective Mutism as a social communication anxiety disorder rather than just mutism. Details about the Social Communication Bridge™ and SM Stages of Social Communication are discussed with focus on the Golden Rules for becoming verbal in all settings. Part 2 provides readers with strategies and insight to navigating the routines, activities, and decisions that are distinctive to summer. Summer break includes visiting relatives, socializing with peers, attending camp, attending get-togethers with friends, vacationing, or simply relaxing. With each social encounter, children with selective Mutism should develop their social comfort and communication skills. Part 3 begins with strategies and insight into planning for the upcoming school year. In addition, tips, tools and recommendations are provided to help the child with SM build the comfort with peers and teachers specific to the child’s stage of social communication. Dr. Shipon-Blum’s newest book, The Selective Mutism Summer Vacation and Back- to-School Guide will give the reader expert knowledge, valuable ideas and strategies to use to keep the SM child progressing during the school summer vacation!