SM School Challenge - Morning Bus Stop

• Who: Amy, bus buddy, bus driver
• Location: bus stop
• Environment: quiet
• Worry Level: 1
• Purpose: having a bus buddy allows Amy to feel more comfortable on the bus
• What’s Happening: Parent share with the school transportation department and bus driver about Amy's Selective Mutism situation, assign gentle, easy-going bus driver to her bus.

Strategy and Scene

• Share Amy SM information with bus driver and bus company, bus company should notify sub-bus driver on Amy’s SM condition too.
• Amy's seat should be near the door so the bus driver can see her. If she needs help, the bus driver can remind her to get off the bus.

Bus Buddy

• include her in conversation
• Amy can choose which friend she wants to sit with (Bus buddy)
• Bus Buddy: Amy, are you excited for school today?  
• Amy (nods)
• Bus Buddy: Did you pick out an object for show and tell?
• Amy: Yes, I brought in my stuffed dog.

Do simple tasks with no verbal communication

• Wave to passing cars/people, point at things outside the window.
• “Amy, did you see that car? It was bright orange!”
• “Amy, look at that tree! It is huge!”

It was the morning of a school day, and Amy was waiting at her bus stop for the school bus to arrive. She normally got driven to school by her parents, so going on the bus was a little unfamiliar to her. She was anxious because the bus was always crowded and noisy. She was afraid that her bus buddy, Catherine would not be on the bus. Also, she was afraid that the bus driver would be mean and yell at them. The bus arrived at her stop and Amy apprehensively got on. She spotted Catherine sitting at the front and sat down next to her with relief. “Hi, Catherine!” greeted Amy happily. “Hi, Amy!” replied Catherine. Amy asked if the bus driver on the bus was mean or nice. “Don’t worry Amy, this bus driver is very nice and won’t yell. We’re sitting near the front so if you need any help, she can always help you.” Catherine started a conversation with Amy to ease her anxiety. “Are you excited for school today?” Amy nodded. “What did you bring in for show and tell?” “I brought a picture of my new bird! I got him over the weekend!” Catherine smiled. “Wow, Amy, that’s so cool!” Catherine looked out the window and pointed at a bright orange car. “Look at that, Amy, a bright orange car! And there, that tree is so pretty!’ Amy nodded. They waved to passing cars and people. This continued until they arrived at the school. The bus driver announced, “Alright kids, time to get off. Have a good day!” Amy and Catherine contently stepped off the bus, looking forward to a good day at school.

Strategy: Parents should correspond with the bus driver transportation department of the school to let them know about Amy’s condition. Make sure Amy has a nice bus driver who will not yell. Also make sure Amy has at least one friend on the bus. Have Amy sit at the front of the bus so the bus driver can help her if she needs any aid or needs to know where to get off.

作者俊華,艾米媽 。 如有需要，加微信：junwang08837，艾米媽邀你進 “選擇性緘默症家長分享群”。

選擇性緘默症包括語言恐 Speech Phobia，感知障礙 Sensory Disorder, 社交恐懼 Social Anxiety 。 關鍵詞： 孩子為什麽不說話，孩子在外麵不說話，孩子不敢說話，和陌生人不說話，社交恐懼，孩子在幼兒園和學校不說話，害羞，敏感，膽子小，懦弱，怕生，內向，沒自信，固執，不敢吃飯，不敢去廁所，不敢和小朋友玩，，在家講話，出門不講話。隻和爸爸媽媽說話， 不敢參加集體活動。