avoidance strategy used by a subgroup of children with social anxiety disorder to reduce their distress in social situations. Particularly in young children, selective mutism can sometimes be confused with an autism spectrum disorder, especially if the child acts particularly withdrawn around their diagnostician, which can lead to incorrect diagnosis and treatment. Although autistic people may also be selectively mute, they often display other behaviors—stimming, repetitive behaviors, social isolation even among family members (not always answering to name, for example)—that set them apart from a child with selective mutism. Some autistic people may be selectively mute due to anxiety in unfamiliar social situations. If mutism is entirely due to autism spectrum disorder, it cannot be diagnosed as selective mutism as stated in the last item on the list above. The former name elective mutism indicates a widespread misconception among psychologists that selective mute people choose to be silent in certain situations, while the truth is that they often wish to speak but are unable to do so. To reflect the involuntary nature of this disorder, the name was changed to selective mutism in 1994. The incidence of selective mutism is not certain. Due to the poor understanding of this condition by the general public, many cases are likely undiagnosed. Based on the number of reported cases, the figure is commonly estimated to be 1 in 1000, 0.1%. However, a 2002 study in The Journal of the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry estimated the incidence to be 0.71%. Other symptoms Besides lack of speech, other common behaviors and characteristics displayed by selectively mute people, according to Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum's findings, include: Shyness, social anxiety, fear of social embarrassment or social isolation and withdrawal Difficulty maintaining eye contact Blank expression and reluctance to smile or incessant smiling Difficulty expressing feelings, even to family members Tendency to worry more than most people of the same age Sensitivity to noise and crowds On the flip side, there are some positive traits observed in many cases: Above average intelligence, inquisitiveness, or perception A strong sense of right and wrong Creativity Love for the arts Empathy Sensitivity for other people Causes Selective mutism (SM) is an umbrella term for the condition of otherwise well-developed children or adults who cannot speak or communicate under certain settings. The exact causes that affect each person may be different and yet unknown. There have been attempts to categorize,