EP75: Why Your Child Talks at Home But Goes Silent Around Peers w/ Dr. Jenna Blum

Episode 75 of the Unspoken Words podcast features Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum and Dr. Jenna Blum answering some of the most commonly submitted listener questions received at the SMart Center — covering peer engagement, school transitions, and a topic that doesn't get nearly enough airtime: grief.

Dr. E and Dr. Jenna tackle why children with SM can speak freely at home yet go completely silent around peers, break down the critical difference between responding and initiating, and make the case for why facilitation — not waiting — is the most important thing parents and school professionals can do. Through real case examples, they illustrate how pairing children around high-interest activities like chess clubs and baking projects creates the comfort and connection that must come before communication can follow.

The second half turns to grief — specifically, how to process the sadness of not having received proper SM treatment as a child, and what it feels like to watch younger generations succeed while carrying the weight of years of ineffective therapy. Dr. E and Dr. Jenna offer clinical perspective and genuine reassurance, and introduce gratitude journaling as a practical tool for shifting focus from deficits to wins.

The episode closes with a timely reminder that the end of the school year is the right time to start planning for the next one — from 504 and IEP updates, to summer peer pairings, to building transitions — and why the tone parents bring to that process matters more than they may realize.

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Chapters:

(03:23) Introducing the Initiation Gap and Why Facilitation Can't Wait

(08:53) How High-Interest Activities Build the Comfort and Connection That Precedes Communication

(18:03) What If My Life Had Been Different? Processing the Grief of a Late or Mismanaged SM Diagnosis

(29:54) Why Focusing on Wins — Not Deficits — Is the Key to Lowering Anxiety and Building Momentum

(39:47) How to Plan School Transitions, Peer Pairings, and Summer Preparation Before the Window Closes

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ADDITIONAL RESOURCES: https://selectivemutismcenter.org/resources/

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For all podcast inquiries, please contact Dakota Hornak at ⁠dhornak@selectivemutismcenter.org

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This podcast was produced and published by New Edition Productions (neweditionconsulting.com)