NEWSLETTER NO. 25 OUT NOW……..

The latest edition of SMIRA’s Newsletter is now out and available to all Full Members of SMIRA, either by email or post.  Back copies can be found in the Resources section of the forum.  SMIRA Membership Forms are to be found under ‘Downloads.’

Selective Mutism Awareness Week 

5^th - 12^th October 2008

Are you a professional with an interest in Selective Mutism?  Can you help us during our Awareness Week by distributing leaflets and/or posters within your Local Authority area?  If so, we would like to hear from you – email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

The Government's Bercow Review into Speech, Language & Communication Needs in children and Young People was published yesterday and has some 40 recommendations for improvement in services.  The Government has responded positively and has announced a £12 Million package to implement the recommendations.  A further £40 Million has been made available to fund the 'Every Child A Talker' initiative.

The full report can be found at   www.dcsf.gov.uk/bercow review

Occupational Therapists are part of the supporting medical team like speech therapists and physiotherapists. They have a three year degree training which enables them to go on and work in a variety of areas including NHS, Social Services and employment /housing.

Some OTs will specialise in paediatrics (children). These OTs are likely to be working in Child Development Teams based in hospitals or in the Community. Referral is usually through a Paediatrician. OTs work closely with physiotherapists, speech therapists and specialist nurses amongst others as part of the multi-disciplinary team who provide care for the child.

The Occupational Therapist takes a holistic approach to assessment and treatment, taking into account all areas of the child’s life. They will consider physical needs, psychological needs, sensory needs as well as social and emotional needs. The OT will work towards helping the child develop as fully as possible in all areas to fulfil their potential. This may mean working with school staff to engage the child in learning strategies. It may mean providing a programme with school to specifically teach new skills such as dressing, or fine motor skills to improve their hand function. In all cases, OTs use everyday activities to work with the child. The OT will assess what the child needs to do to function at a better level, and grade and plan how to enable the child to develop the skills that they require.

Sometimes you will find that the OT works with children with physical disability, ensuring that they have the correct equipment in place to enable them to do as much as they can independently. In other cases, the OT will focus on the child’s mental health and work on confidence building, self-esteem and social skills. Other OTs work specifically in Social Services to help with designing housing adaptations and to assess for equipment for independence for the child and safe handling by the parent.

OTs may become involved with children with Selective Mutism as the child may not be functioning independently within their environment. Along with the Speech therapist, the OT may work on an anxiety reducing programme and social skills building working towards enabling the child to interact as fully as possible with their peers.