Selective Mutism is best described as?

• A. Inability to speak in all social situations.
• B. A pervasive speech impairment present since infancy.
• C. A transient speech delay in early childhood.
• D. Consistent failure to speak in specific social situations despite speaking in others, typically onset before age 5.

Answer: (D)

Selective Mutism is an anxiety-driven condition where a child who can speak in some settings does not speak in certain social situations (for example, at school or around unfamiliar people) but will speak in other contexts (like at home). It typically begins before age 5 and tends to be persistent. This differentiates it from a broad language impairment or a transient early delay—the speech problem is situational, not a general language deficit, and it is not temporary. So the description that fits best is a consistent failure to speak in specific social situations despite speaking in others, with onset before age 5.