Acknowledgements

We are extremely grateful to the following people:

The children and families who made it possible for this book to be even considered

Dr Agnes Hauck for valuable professional guidance over a long period

Alison Huneke of the Association for All Speech Impaired Children (Afasic) for helpline advice

Annie Elias, Jane Shaw, Hilary Cleator and Professor Paul Carding for advice on functional voice disorders

Helen Webb and Denise Lanes for collaboration in the preparation of Chapter 9

Victoria Roe for meticulous fact-checking in Chapter 4

Kumi Andoh for services above and beyond mere translation from the Japanese

Lucy Buckroyd and Kate Mason, our editors at Jessica Kingsley Publishers, for unfailing support and encouragement

Our own families for tolerance, endless support, helpful comment and proofreading.

Royalties from this book will be donated to SMIRA (Selective Mutism Information & Research Association) and Afasic (Association for all Speech Impaired Children).