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The DIR®-SM Program is designed to support individuals with Selective Mutism (SM) by helping to identify their position in the Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities (FEDCs) speaking hierarchy and guiding them through various activities to verbal communication.
Selective Mutism is an anxiety-based disorder, often accompanied by other challenges. Due to its complexity, a comprehensive treatment approach like DIRFloortime® is essential. This approach addresses all aspects of the disorder including:
1) Social Emotional Development (D): Developing emotional and social skills.
2) Individual Differences (I): Considering speech/language disorders, sensory processing, issues, motor planning difficulties, and visual perceptual problems.
3) Relationships (R): Building relationships at home, school, and in the community.
The Functional Emotional Developmental Capacities (FEDC) of Selective Mutism include:
FEDC 1: DIR® Regulation: The child is frozen or non-speaking
FEDC 2: DIR® Engagement: The child may gesture or nod their head to communicate.
FEDC 3: DIR® Purposeful Two-Way Communication: The child may begin to whisper or make environmental sounds (e.g., laughter, car and truck noises, baby crying, animal sounds).
SSSS: Systematic Sound Sequencing Strategy (SSSS): The SSSS helps move the child toward two-way communication through body noises, silly sounds, environmental sounds, and speech sounds.
FEDC 4: DIR® Shared Social Problem Solving: The child is mostly verbal, but may continue to struggle with social problem solving, sequencing, and organizing play.
73 cards total
4"x4" cards
Author: Dr. Joleen R. Fernald
