Depending on your child’s age, you may want to share that you are going to a place to play. There are toys and swings and games. For younger children, this explanation is usually sufficient. For older children and adolescents, it’s important to be open and up front. Be honest… your child is coming to meet with a speech language pathologist, an occupational therapist, and a behavorial health therapist who all have a lot of experience working with kids who have a hard time getting their words out. It’s sometimes comforting to also share that Joleen (if she’s the evaluating SLP) has a daughter who had selective mutism when she was younger.
