Help Connor Speak
Donation protected
Connor
This is our son Connor. He is six years old and attends first grade at the Paul Revere School in Revere, Massachusetts. He suffers from a genetically-based anxiety disorder called Selective Mutism. This is a link explaining more about that condition. http://www.selectivemutismcenter.org/aboutus/whatisselectivemutism
Children with selective mutism are unable to speak under circumstances where they feel pressured to perform, especially at school. Connor speaks perfectly well at home, with family, and in most circumstances where he is outside of school. BUT, he has not spoken in school once since he started pre-school. This has inhibited his academic performance and his ability to make friends.
The Selective Mutistic also typically carry around a cluster of other fears, seeming unrelated, but pertaining to performance anxiety. Connor also has a tremendous fear of using public toilets and eating and drinking in public. Of course, this also inhibits his ability to function at school. He comes home from school having not had anything to drink all day.
The good news is that with early intervention SM is eminently treatable. Treatment involves Cognitive Therapy, and in some cases medication.
School Not Helpful
Also, some one-on-one assistance is required in the classroom. On this piece we have run into resistance from our local school department, which is notoriously flinty about investing in special needs students. Every doctor he has seen recommends a behavioral counselor for him in school as a minimum, and ideally, they recommend a therapeutic classroom. Therapeutic classrooms exist in our district but the school department has turned down our requests to even look at their services.
We have had to hire an educational advocate to help us navigate the choppy waters of our school system. This service is very costly.
Psychotherapist
Our insurance will pay for Connor to see a cognitive therapist once a week. This treatment is helpful but not nearly enough
Boston University Program
There is a renowned program for children with Selective Mutism near us at Boston University’s Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders. They offer psychotherapy and a special camp called “The Brave Bunch,” an intensive week long experience for children with SM. However, it is costly and our insurance will not cover it. The program will be starting in several months.
What will Funds Go Toward
We are seeking assistance with getting Connor treatment. Money raised will go for:
1. The Costs of our Educational Advocate who can help us get the services from Connor’s school that he is entitled to.
2, Additional Psychotherapy for him.
3. Enrollment in the Boston University’s Selective Mutism program, especially the “Brave Bunch” program.
Urgency
The longer Connor doesn't speak in school, the more accustomed he becomes to this coping strategy, and the more it becomes an embedded part of his routine. The longer he doesn't speak, the harder it is to get him started.
We really appreciate your reading and consideration. Connor is an intelligent, sweet, funny boy who unfortunately suffers from an illness that is not his fault. We need to get him speaking in school!
If you have any questions please contact us: Joe McHugh and Marie Carmel O’Connell.
Thank you!
This is our son Connor. He is six years old and attends first grade at the Paul Revere School in Revere, Massachusetts. He suffers from a genetically-based anxiety disorder called Selective Mutism. This is a link explaining more about that condition. http://www.selectivemutismcenter.org/aboutus/whatisselectivemutism
Children with selective mutism are unable to speak under circumstances where they feel pressured to perform, especially at school. Connor speaks perfectly well at home, with family, and in most circumstances where he is outside of school. BUT, he has not spoken in school once since he started pre-school. This has inhibited his academic performance and his ability to make friends.
The Selective Mutistic also typically carry around a cluster of other fears, seeming unrelated, but pertaining to performance anxiety. Connor also has a tremendous fear of using public toilets and eating and drinking in public. Of course, this also inhibits his ability to function at school. He comes home from school having not had anything to drink all day.
The good news is that with early intervention SM is eminently treatable. Treatment involves Cognitive Therapy, and in some cases medication.
School Not Helpful
Also, some one-on-one assistance is required in the classroom. On this piece we have run into resistance from our local school department, which is notoriously flinty about investing in special needs students. Every doctor he has seen recommends a behavioral counselor for him in school as a minimum, and ideally, they recommend a therapeutic classroom. Therapeutic classrooms exist in our district but the school department has turned down our requests to even look at their services.
We have had to hire an educational advocate to help us navigate the choppy waters of our school system. This service is very costly.
Psychotherapist
Our insurance will pay for Connor to see a cognitive therapist once a week. This treatment is helpful but not nearly enough
Boston University Program
There is a renowned program for children with Selective Mutism near us at Boston University’s Center for Anxiety and Related Disorders. They offer psychotherapy and a special camp called “The Brave Bunch,” an intensive week long experience for children with SM. However, it is costly and our insurance will not cover it. The program will be starting in several months.
What will Funds Go Toward
We are seeking assistance with getting Connor treatment. Money raised will go for:
1. The Costs of our Educational Advocate who can help us get the services from Connor’s school that he is entitled to.
2, Additional Psychotherapy for him.
3. Enrollment in the Boston University’s Selective Mutism program, especially the “Brave Bunch” program.
Urgency
The longer Connor doesn't speak in school, the more accustomed he becomes to this coping strategy, and the more it becomes an embedded part of his routine. The longer he doesn't speak, the harder it is to get him started.
We really appreciate your reading and consideration. Connor is an intelligent, sweet, funny boy who unfortunately suffers from an illness that is not his fault. We need to get him speaking in school!
If you have any questions please contact us: Joe McHugh and Marie Carmel O’Connell.
Thank you!
Organizer
Joe McHugh
Organizer
Revere, MA