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have you ever experienced this type of behavior from kids?

raindrop's picture

It's so bizarre and I just canlt put my finger on it. Nephew 13 WILL NOT TALK to anyone in the family except his own parents. We try very hard to make him comfortable, but he just seems so uninterested. He's been like this for years so it's not just a Tween or Teen thing. We've all been around him his entire life, and you can say he's always been quite doted by us given he is the only grandchild/nephew on my side of the family. We've always been head-over-heels.  When he was a  little kid, he was "normal" but once he hit 8, he became mute around us. We suspecthis parents talk bad about us, but who knows. His Dad doesn't talk to anyone either, so I guess the apple doesn't fall far from the tree. I've efinally had enough. I sent him another text a couple weeks ago telling him I have money to give for his good grades,  but no response. I tried calling him a couple days later, and he picked up, but never said Hello, just breathed heavy before quietely saying "mmm"  when I said "Hello, Joey are you there?"  I asked if he got my text, and again, "mmm." I've had it. It's been going on too long.  Game over. I'm taking that money and getting myself a massage tomorrow.  I used to wonder if he was autistic or had something else clinicaly wrong, but no, he has many friends, he gets good grades, and he does your average teen boy things, except, talk to his family. I find it so bizarre. 

sunshinex's picture

Anxiety?

I was around 14 years old when I first started anxiety medication (paxil) to help with my extreme social anxiety. It kind of came on out of nowhere - I know something obviously triggered it but I never did figure out what it was. It just started and came on fast and heavy. I could barely talk to family aside from my mom and sister. I paniced if I was alone in the room/in a conversation with my own brother, grandma, dad, etc. and at school, I shook and fumbled words when people talked to me. 

After a few months of paxil, I felt much better and haven't experienced it since. I still get anxious, but nowhere near the amount I did. 

tog redux's picture

Does he talk in school to adults? He could have selective mutism, where kids just will not talk in situations where they would be expected to.  They might talk with immediate family, when they feel relaxed, but otherwise they just remain mute. It's a really frustrating and hard to treat anxiety disorder.

NoThanks's picture

Have you talked to his parents or his mom (Im assuming she’s your sister) and just asked what’s up with him?