{"h1":"Selective Mutism, AbilityScore 700–800: what to do next","faq":[{"a":"It's an encouraging band that reflects strong emerging ability — your child likely already speaks comfortably in some settings. The remaining work is usually generalisation: carrying that voice into harder places like school and with new people. Your Pinnacle clinician will set the next goals from your child's own baseline.","q":"Does a 700–800 AbilityScore band mean my child is nearly better?"},{"a":"No — avoid demanding speech, especially in front of others, as this raises the anxiety that holds words back. Selective Mutism is anxiety-based; progress comes from gently lowering pressure and using small, staged 'brave-talking' steps planned with your clinician.","q":"Should I encourage my child to speak more to push progress?"},{"a":"You'll see it in everyday wins — a word in a new setting, an answer to an unfamiliar person, calmer school mornings — and in objective re-measurement against your child's own earlier baseline at your Pinnacle review, never guesswork.","q":"How will I know therapy is still working at this band?"}],"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","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 700 800","value":"as_700_800"},{"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-800-900-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Selective Mutism AbilityScore 800–900 — Next Steps"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-with-selective-mutism-has-an-abilityscore-of-100-200-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Selective Mutism: AbilityScore 100–200 — What To Do Next"},{"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-600-700-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Selective Mutism AbilityScore 600–700: Next Steps"},{"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"}],"summary":"A 700–800 band is encouraging — your child speaks comfortably somewhere, and the next work is widening that voice into harder settings. The plan is clinician-led, anxiety-aware generalisation, never pressure to talk. Review with your Pinnacle clinician to set the next goals.","answer_md":"*An AbilityScore in the 700–800 band is genuinely encouraging — it tells you your child has real strengths to build on, and a clear path ahead.*\n\n## In short\nA 700–800 band on your child's AbilityScore® reflects strong emerging ability — your child is already communicating well in some settings, and the work now is widening *where* and *with whom* their voice flows freely. For [Selective Mutism](/), the next step is a clinician-led plan that gently extends speaking from safe places (home) into harder ones (school, new people) — not pushing your child to talk, but lowering the anxiety that holds the words back. Keep momentum: review with your Pinnacle clinician, set the next goals, and protect the wins you already have.\n\n## What this band means and what to do next\nSelective Mutism is an **anxiety-based** difficulty — your child *can* speak, and does so comfortably in some settings, but freezes in others. A 700–800 band usually signals that:\n\n- Speech is established and warm in at least one comfortable setting.\n- The remaining work is **generalisation** — carrying that voice into school, shops, relatives' homes, and conversations with less familiar people.\n- Anxiety, not ability, is the lever to keep working on.\n\nPractical next moves your clinician will help you stage:\n- **Brave-talking ladders** — tiny, planned steps from a sound, to a word, to a sentence, each in a slightly harder setting, celebrated every time.\n- **A school bridge** — coordinating with teachers so your child is never *put on the spot*, and is given low-pressure ways to respond at first.\n- **Avoid the speaking ambush** — never demand \"say hello\" in front of others; this raises anxiety and slows progress.\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 a form. Your band is a starting point for a plan, not a label. Your clinician will re-measure your child against their **own** [AbilityScore baseline](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) so even quiet progress becomes visible, and pair that with [speech and language therapy](/speech-therapy) tuned to anxiety-led generalisation. The goal is simple: your child speaking freely, in more places, with more people — at their own brave pace.\n\n## Trusted sources\nWHO ICD-11 classifies Selective Mutism (6B06) among anxiety-related disorders; the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the American Academy of Pediatrics describe its anxiety basis and the value of low-pressure, graded approaches.\n\n**Next step —** Book a progress review with your Pinnacle clinician to set the next set of brave-talking goals. [Plan your child's next steps](/enroll).\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-700-800-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-700-800-what-should-we-do-next","lang":"en","indexable":true}],"dimensions":[{"key":"conditions","label":"Conditions"}],"meta_title":"Selective Mutism AbilityScore 700–800: Next Steps","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Never command \"say hello\" in front of others — it raises the anxiety that holds words back. Instead, give low-pressure choices (\"point to the one you want\") and warmly celebrate any attempt: a sound, a whisper, a gesture all count as brave talking.","published_at":"2026-06-10T10:36:00.237648+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 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Note small wins — a whispered word, a nod, an answer to a new person — and bring them to your clinician review to shape the next goals.","authority_links":[{"url":"https://icd.who.int/browse11","code":"6B06","label":"WHO ICD-11: Selective Mutism (6B06)"},{"url":"https://www.asha.org","label":"ASHA: Selective Mutism overview"},{"url":"https://www.healthychildren.org","label":"AAP HealthyChildren: childhood anxiety and speaking"}],"last_reviewed_at":"2026-06-10T10:36:00.237648+00:00","meta_description":"Your child's Selective Mutism AbilityScore is 700–800 — an encouraging band. Here's what it means and the calm, clinician-led next steps to widen their voi","related_materials":[],"related_techniques":[]}