Mutism: how to help children who have lost the ability to speak due to fear of shelling

War affects everyone, but those who cannot always express their pain in words – children – suffer the most. Ukrainian children who are exposed to shelling, bombing and evacuations experience extreme stress, which often affects their mental health and well-being. One of the most common reactions to fear is the loss of the ability to speak, or mutism, when a child cannot express a single word due to the shock they have experienced. In this article, we will look at the reasons why children stop talking after shelling, how to help a child return to normal life, and what methods can help in this process.

Causes of speech mutism after shelling

1. Deep psychological stress. Children often react to traumatic events, such as shelling, differently from adults. Their psyche is extremely sensitive, so shelling can be so traumatic that it can cause silence. In psychology, this is called reactive mutism – the loss of speech as a defence mechanism against a traumatic situation.
2. Loss of a sense of security. For a child, silence can be a way to avoid a threat. Unexpected loud noises, panic of adults, evacuation – all this undermines the sense of safety. When a child does not feel safe, he or she may ‘withdraw’ to reduce internal stress.
3. Lack of understanding of events. A child is not always able to understand what is happening. Shelling, explosions and chaos become an incomprehensible threat that they do not know how to deal with. In such cases, children may lose the ability to speak because they do not find the words to express what they are feeling.
4. Indirect impact on the psyche. Even if a child has not suffered direct physical damage, watching adults in pain can be traumatic. Children are sensitive to their parents’ emotions, so if they see tears or fear in adults, it can make their condition even worse.

How to help a child who has stopped talking

1. Provide the maximum sense of security

• Create a stable and safe environment for the child. If possible, provide a separate place for the child to rest and play where they can feel safe.
• Use calming bedtime rituals such as reading stories, cuddling, and playing soothing music. Repetitive activities will help your child regain a sense of stability.

2. Involve specialists: psychologist and speech therapist

• It is important to involve specialists in working with your child – a child psychologist or psychotherapist, as well as a speech therapist. Psychologists specialising in trauma work can use art therapy and fairy tale therapy techniques to help a child overcome fear.
• Speech therapists can work with a child to restore speech through playful techniques that will help them regain confidence in their own voice.

3. Do not put pressure on the child

• It is important to understand that pressure and the requirement to speak can make the situation worse. You need to give your child time and space to recover. Your patience and support are the key to their recovery.
• Allow your child to use other ways of communicating: drawing, writing, hugging. Often children can express their feelings through art, and this, in turn, can help them reconnect with the outside world.

4. Classes in support groups

• Group sessions for children who have experienced trauma can help them understand that they are not alone in their feelings. Talking to peers who have gone through similar experiences reduces fear and promotes emotional recovery.
• Organisations and volunteers often hold workshops for children, ranging from drawing to acting. Classes in such groups not only teach children new skills, but also help them return to normal life.

5. Work with parents

• Parents also experience stress and often do not know how to help their child. Counselling for parents can help them understand how to support their child in difficult moments, how to communicate with them and how to respond to their silence.
• Parental support and understanding is a key factor in the child’s recovery.

6. Regular conversations and discussions about emotions

• Encourage your child to share his or her feelings, but do not force him or her to talk about traumatic events if he or she does not want to. It is important to teach your child to recognise their emotions and express them in a way that is comfortable for them.
• Introduce your child to different ways of emotional expression: through art, sports, music. Often, these activities help children gradually return to talking.

What to avoid

Ignoring the problem. A child’s silence is a sign that he or she needs help. Do not expect the child to return to normal communication without support. Psychological trauma can leave a deep mark on the child’s future development.

Non-professional support. Do not try to solve the problem without the participation of specialists. Treatment of post-traumatic mutism requires delicacy and a professional approach, because incorrect support can worsen the situation.

Psychological assistance to children who have experienced stress due to shelling should be comprehensive and include not only work with the child, but also support for their parents. A child’s silence after shelling is a cry for help that cannot be ignored. With the help of specialists, love and patience, it is possible to bring a child back to normal life, to give him or her hope and a sense of security. The more we understand about the effects of war on children, the better we can help them preserve their childhood despite difficult circumstances.