Fluoxetine treatment of selective mutism in pervasive developmental disorder

Abstract

We report the successful treatment of selective mutism in a child with pervasive developmental disorder (PDD). There are several studies and case reports in which Fluoxetine has been reported effective in diminishing adult social anxiety and increasing speech in public settings. The literature is much smaller for children. The efficacy of fluoxetine supports the argument that selective mutism is a developmental equivalent of social anxiety disorder. To our knowledge this is the first description of successful treatment when the selective mutism is complicated by PDD.