Introduction When four-year-old Chloe was told by her preschool teacher that she had finally spoken at school after nearly eight months of silence, her parents felt a profound mix of relief and confusion. Their daughter spoke perfectly at home—she was talkative, engaged, and articulate. Yet at school, she remained completely silent. This scenario describes selective mutism (SM), a complex childhood anxiety disorder that often goes unrecognised and misunderstood by both parent