{"h1":"Selective Mutism, AbilityScore 600–700: what to do next","faq":[{"a":"It's neither — it's a baseline. The band describes where your child stands right now, so progress can be measured against their own starting point. What matters next is the clinician review and the plan it shapes, not whether the number sounds \"high\" or \"low\".","q":"Is an AbilityScore of 600–700 good or bad for Selective Mutism?"},{"a":"Selective Mutism responds well to gentle, gradual, pressure-free approaches, especially when school and home work together and support begins early. Your Pinnacle clinician sets goals around your child and re-measures against their own baseline so gains are visible.","q":"Will my child with Selective Mutism start speaking with therapy?"},{"a":"No — pressure to speak usually increases the anxiety driving Selective Mutism. Progress starts with comfort, then builds in small, winnable steps. Accept gestures and whispers warmly and let your clinician guide the pacing.","q":"Should we push our child to talk in public?"},{"a":"No. A clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre under a qualified clinician's care — never from an online figure. The band is a starting point for that conversation.","q":"Can I get a diagnosis from the AbilityScore alone?"}],"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-selective-mutism-has-an-abilityscore-of-600-700-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Selective Mutism AbilityScore 600–700: Next Steps","entity":{"key":"selective-mutism","kind":"condition","name":"Selective Mutism","slug":null},"lenses":[{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Parent","value":"parent"},{"kind":"domain","label":"Emotional","value":"emotional"},{"kind":"intent","label":"Support","value":"support"},{"kind":"lifecycle","label":"Measure","value":"measure"},{"kind":"route","label":"Book-Assessment","value":"book-assessment"},{"kind":"score_band","label":"As 600 700","value":"as_600_700"},{"kind":"empowerment","label":"Self Sufficiency","value":"self_sufficiency"}],"parent":{"key":"conditions","label":"Conditions"},"related":[{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-selective-mutism-has-an-abilityscore-of-300-400-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Selective Mutism: AbilityScore 300–400 Next Steps"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-selective-mutism-has-an-abilityscore-of-500-600-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Selective Mutism AbilityScore 500–600: Next Steps"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-selective-mutism-has-an-abilityscore-of-700-800-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Selective Mutism, AbilityScore 700–800: what to do next"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-selective-mutism-has-an-abilityscore-of-400-500-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Selective Mutism with an AbilityScore of 400–500: what to do next"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-selective-mutism-has-an-abilityscore-of-900-1000-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Selective Mutism AbilityScore 900–1000 — What to Do Next"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-selective-mutism-has-an-abilityscore-of-200-300-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Selective Mutism AbilityScore 200–300: Next Steps for Parents"}],"summary":"An AbilityScore band of 600–700 is a baseline, not a verdict. The next step is a clinician review to confirm the picture, agree a gentle, gradual therapy plan, and align school and home. Selective Mutism responds well to early, consistent, pressure-free support — and a clear baseline makes progress visible. Only a Pinnacle clinician forms a diagnosis.","answer_md":"*A score band gives you a starting line, not a verdict — here's how to turn it into a clear plan for your child's voice to grow.*\n\n## In short\nAn AbilityScore band of 600–700 is a *baseline* — a structured picture of where your child stands right now with [Selective Mutism](/), not a ceiling or a label. The next step is a clinician conversation to confirm the assessment, agree a starting therapy plan, and set the everyday goals that matter to your family. Selective Mutism responds well to the right, gentle, gradual approach — and a clear baseline is exactly what makes progress visible.\n\n## What this band means for your next steps\nSelective Mutism is an anxiety-based difficulty: your child *can* speak comfortably in safe settings (often home) but consistently cannot in others (often school or with unfamiliar people). It is not defiance, shyness alone, or something a child simply grows out of by being pushed. A 600–700 band typically points to a child with real communicative ability that is being held back in specific situations — which is a hopeful place to begin.\n\nWith your clinician, the plan usually builds around:\n\n- **Reducing pressure to speak** — progress starts with comfort, never demands.\n- **Gradual, structured steps** (often called stimulus fading and shaping) — moving from where your child *can* talk towards where they currently can't, one small, winnable step at a time.\n- **School and home working together** — consistency across settings is one of the strongest predictors of progress.\n- **Re-measurement** against your child's *own* baseline, so even quiet gains are seen.\n\n## When to act\nSelective Mutism improves most when support begins early and stays consistent. Book the clinician review now rather than waiting for a new school term or a \"better moment\" — the band you have is enough to start.\n\n## The Pinnacle way\nA clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under the care of a qualified clinician — never from an online figure or form alone. Your clinician will confirm the picture behind the 600–700 band and shape a plan around your child. Explore how the [AbilityScore® is measured](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated), how [speech therapy](/speech-therapy) supports children with Selective Mutism, and start with us [here](/).\n\n## Trusted sources\nWHO ICD-11 (Selective Mutism, 6B06); American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) guidance on selective mutism; American Academy of Pediatrics parent resources; Pinnacle Blooms Network clinical studies.\n\n**Next step —** Turn your baseline into a plan: [book a clinician assessment](/enroll) with a Pinnacle speech-language pathologist this week.\n\nThis is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","canonical":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-with-selective-mutism-has-an-abilityscore-of-600-700-what-should-we-do-next","editorial":{"reviewed_at":"2026-06-11T20:12:18.613642+00:00","reviewed_by":null,"developed_by":"SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network"},"alternates":[{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-with-selective-mutism-has-an-abilityscore-of-600-700-what-should-we-do-next","lang":"en","indexable":true}],"dimensions":[{"key":"conditions","label":"Conditions"}],"meta_title":"Selective Mutism AbilityScore 600–700: Next Steps","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Remove the spotlight: avoid asking your child to \"say hello\" or speak on demand in front of others. Instead, narrate alongside them, accept nods and gestures warmly, and celebrate any communication — a whisper, a pointed finger, a written word — with no fuss. Lower pressure is what lets a voice return.","published_at":"2026-06-10T10:40:00.078442+00:00","reading_paths":[{"key":"understand","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"how-does-selective-mutism-affect-a-child-s-daily-life","title":"How Selective Mutism Affects a Child's Daily Life","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-selective-mutism-considered-a-disability","title":"Is Selective Mutism considered a disability?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-selective-mutism-genetic-or-hereditary","title":"Is Selective Mutism Genetic or Hereditary?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-common-myths-about-selective-mutism","title":"What are common myths about Selective Mutism?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-the-types-or-levels-of-selective-mutism","title":"What are the types or levels of Selective Mutism?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-causes-selective-mutism-in-children","title":"What Causes Selective Mutism in 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Note where speech does and doesn't happen, and any rising distress or withdrawal at school, so your clinician can target the right steps.","authority_links":[{"url":"https://icd.who.int","code":"6B06","label":"WHO ICD-11: Selective Mutism"},{"url":"https://www.asha.org","label":"ASHA: Selective Mutism guidance"},{"url":"https://www.healthychildren.org","label":"AAP HealthyChildren: parent resources"}],"last_reviewed_at":"2026-06-10T10:40:00.078442+00:00","meta_description":"Your child with Selective Mutism scored 600–700? It's a baseline, not a verdict. See what it means and the gentle, clinician-led next steps to take.","related_materials":[],"related_techniques":[]}