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Ask The Doc Original Top

Perhaps you've read through our website and the library of information we provide on Selective Mutism but you still feel stuck. Do you wish you could ask your question of an expert in the field? The opportunity to "Ask the Doc" is one of the exciting member benefits of the SMG. Currently, the doctor on duty is Dr. Lynn Lunceford, a member of the SMG Board of Directors and Co-Chair of Professional Development. Dr. Lunceford is the Chair of the College of Health and Human Services at the University of Phoenix where she teaches child therapy. She speaks around the country at professional conferences and at school trainings on the development and treatment of Selective Mutism.

"Ask the Doc" is a service provided to help better understand SM. However, it is not a substitute for therapy and individualized treatment questions cannot be addressed in this format. Additionally, we are unable to respond to questions concerning medication questions * at this time.

How To Use 'Ask the Doc'

Our members have submitted many wonderful questions over the years, which have been answered and catalogued by topic in the Ask the Doc archive. If you have a question, we recommend you review our archives to see whether this question, or something similar, has been addressed. If you don't find the answers you are looking for, please submit your question to us. We have grouped our archives into the following categories and the questions have been numbered for your ease of reference. Often a question will touch on multiple topics, so you may want to read replies from multiple categories that may be relevant to your question.

*Questions Concerning Medication: We are no longer able to provide responses to questions that deal with when to use medication, what types of medication are appropriate, proper dosing, etc. In the past, Dr. Elisa Shipon-Blum, M.D. replied to many of these types of questions and those responses are included in the archives. If you have a questions related to medication, we recommend you discuss them with the professional who is or would be your prescribing physician. You may also want to consider purchasing the DVD Medication: Use of Medication in the Treatment of Selective Mutism which is available in our on-line bookstore.(LINK TO BOOKSTORE)

If You'd Like To Submit a Question

If you've reviewed our archives and have not found the answers you need, we encourage you to submit an "Ask the Doc" question. Please keep your question brief, providing only the background information that is needed to answer your question. We reserve the right to post all questions and answers on the website unless you request that your question not be published. Please note that all identifying information will be removed prior to positing. Please remember that "Ask the Doc" is not a substitute for therapy and that individualized treatment questions cannot be answered. You should receive a reply by e-mail within three weeks.

Disclaimer: When therapists treat children with SM, there are numerous ways that they gather all of the information needed and gain knowledge of that particular child's needs. These include multiple detailed questionnaires, interviews with parent(s) and/or teachers, meeting the child and/or viewing videotapes, etc. Only through using all of the necessary tools in a consultation can a doctor or therapist make informed decisions about the best treatment plan for that child. Therefore, to try to answer specific questions or give specific treatment advice in the format of 'Ask the Doc' would be unethical and potentially harmful to the child. Members must understand that the 'Ask the Doc' service is not a consultation service. This benefit is being provided for parents to gain a better understanding of general concepts about SM and to gain feedback on issues that may need to be discussed with the child's treating professional, teachers, etc. The responses provided to 'Ask the Doc' questions do not imply a doctor-patient relationship and are not meant to take the place of appropriate therapy for the child.