Communicating with a mute child

JC glowered at his family. Peter was chatting away to Mama. Mama turned and asked JC if he wanted a biscuit or to join in?

JC came closer to observe them shook his head and moved away. Peter caught his arm as he turned to go. “It’s okay if you want to come to join us.” He reassured his brother.

JC shook his head and pulled his arm away more firmly.

Peter caught his Mama surreptitiously wiping a tear away from her cheek. She hoped that he had not seen her but he always saw. He saw everything.

Peter felt so frustrated that JC just would not speak anymore. He had spoken up until a few months ago. Infact, JC was quite a brilliant mimic and linguist. But for months now he just would not utter a word in front of any adult. Infact, it was only at night when they were alone that JC would occasionally express how he felt verbally.

It had gotten too extreme recently that JC had stopped even responding in writing and so was just using descriptive language to express how he was feeling when he felt like it.

It was hurting all of them.

Peter felt as if he was caught in the middle acting as interpreter for his brother. Mama was occasionally rewarded like today with an acknowledgement of a question she had asked JC. But she was torn in two by this.

And JC who was maybe both hurting and hurting others emotionally by his silence.

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