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I wasn't born mute, but I recently contracted a severe respiratory infection that caused permanent damage to my throat. It's to the point where I can't even make high pitches or scream anymore, despite my fever going down and all the other symptoms improving. My primary doctor told me they can tell I have permanent damage, but nothing can be "official" until I see an Otolaryngologist, but since I can scarcely even take big gups of water or chew food anymore, the possibility of me ever talking again is something I won't hold my breath on.

Frankly, I'm here not to throw a pity party, but looking for answers on how to live this new life. I know I can, and well, but I just don't know how because I never met a mute person. I currently work at a fast food joint, but I obviously can't even take orders anymore. How should I talk to my employer about my new condition, or explore other options of employment? They know about my condition because I have missed many days of work since I was 102-103 degrees F without fever reducers for four days and obviously had to get some medical attention.

I guess I never realised how important verbal communication was in my life until I lost it. I don't know where to go from here. Thank you for reading

I'm in the process of writing a novel that features a selectively mute male main character.

I'm wanting to portray his life experiences as accurately as possible. So my question is when telling people you are mute how often do they assume you are deaf?

Has anyone had experiences with people thinking they need to shout at you so you can hear them?

These are things I've heard of in passing but I have no actual experiences to draw from, nor do I know anyone that is mute to ask. TIA for any insites.

I am autistic and for the last two years speaking has been so hard, now I can’t speak without feeling so exhausted. I have to force words out and it hurts to do that, sometimes the words just won’t come out no matter what. Over time my speech gets worse, it hurts even more to speak and I cry when I have to speak a lot because it hurts. I don’t know why exactly this is happening but it’s probably something to do with my autism. I started using AAC sometimes but I feel like I need to use it all the time because when I speak it’s so painful and it hurts. I am thinking of ways to tell people about me using AAC full time but I am nervous that they will not want me to use AAC, I made this post to ask for some advice so if you have any I would love to read it.

I recently had a brain Tumor removed and have (I hope) temporary larnx paralysis, so no voice. Best I can do is a hoarse whisper, not audible over cell phone call.

I have an android Samsung, new model. The phone app has a TTS mode but it converts whole call to TTS. Other end can no longer speak. I just need my end TTS and other end Normal. I have looked in Google play store and Galaxy store. I have a hard time accepting this is not doable somehow.

Any suggestions ?

Is making a Joke where you say "wanna hear my impression of a mute person" and either just standing there or making mouth movements while silent an ablest joke? I made this joke to some friends and some expressed concern to this being offensive so I wanted to ask a mute person if this would be or not to make sure.

Hi, I have selective mutism. Sometimes I have a small amount of speech that I can access when i'm mute and can force myself to talk but when I do force myself to talk my mind goes completely blank, I fully stumble over my words, say them out of order, pronounce them wrong, and end up saying the wrong thing altogether so I just write what I wanna say so it's easier for everyone. Anyways I was wondering if I should include that im mute at the beginning of the notes I write? (for ordering at restaurants specifically) Has this helped people to be more understanding or have you found you get treated worse once you tell them? It would just be a short note saying "Hi, i'm mute, I cannot talk. Can I get: (and then i'd put whatever I wanna order here)" or would it be better to not tell them at all? Please share your experiences with me <3

Has anyone else here used Relate from Google? Formerly project Euphonia?

It began as a project to focused on assisting speech for individuals suffering from als but expanded to other groups of individuals with “non-standard” speech.

https://sites.research.google/euphonia/about/

https://sites.research.google/relate/

I have bi-lateral vocal cord paralysis and speak with the back of my throat. Which leaves me with a raspy breathy voice. I came across project euphonia a few years ago but it maybe a resource for some. It has transitioned into the Google Relate program. There may be a waitlist for it but the goal was to provide speech samples from non standard speakers to train their speech detection machine learning model.

Hello,
I’ve developed an app that helps people manage phone calls by handling incoming calls and making outgoing calls on their behalf. The app can also convert conversations into text, allowing users to interact with phone calls without needing to speak or hear. I’m considering offering this service for free to individuals with speech or hearing difficulties, as I believe it could be helpful for those who face challenges with phone communication.

However, I understand that I might not fully grasp the daily challenges faced by individuals in the mute or hard-of-hearing communities, and I don’t want to make assumptions. That’s why I’m reaching out to ask for your feedback.

Do you find phone communication difficult, and would a service like this that converts calls to text and handles calls for you be useful? What features would you like to see to make it truly valuable? Your thoughts and insights would be incredibly helpful in shaping this app to better support your needs.

Thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts!

Hello, I have a lot of issues when I get sick, usually I get sick several times a year, and each time I usually lose my voice. Being unable to speak for like 1/10th out of the year can get pretty frustrating, and recently during my last infection I tried using TTS apps. I found some that worked but were mediocre and kind of hard to use. Just need some advice on what apps y'all might recommend. Thank you!

I have asked the same question in disability subreddit, but I have decided to ask here as well. I have severe stutter. I have many block and repetition. It's hard to speak and it takes me a lot of effort to speak with people. And it gets worse If I talk with someone who I don't know. So, now the question itself. I often use taxi because of tight schedule. In my country I can choose a special option when I take taxi. Such as "I'm in wheelchair", "I'm deaf" and so on. One of the options called "I'm mute but can hear you". I'm thinking to try it for some time. Normally, mentality (in my country) includes small taks with drivers which triggers my anxiety and stutter. So, is it appropriate use this option or no? What do you think?

I use T-Mobile IP Relay for phone calls, but they make a lot of typos and take so long to transcribe automated message options that we get hung up on before I can tell them what number to press.

My cell carrier does not support my phone's RTT/TTY function, so I can't use 711. I contacted Google Fi Support and they confirmed this.

Does anyone know of a better option to make phone calls?

I'm selectively mute due to the events that have happened in my life thusfare Anyways, I have a big problem with being able to go through school like this. My teachers don't understand it and I feel like it's difficult to explain to them that I don't speak nor do I really want too. Does anybody have any ideas or a course of action that could help me out?

So for some back round my throat was crushed I won’t go into much detail but I am unable to speak at all haven’t been able to for about 10 years now. And school has been so difficult and irritating with this a lot of teachers think I am faking or lying about it. So every new teacher I go to or every new year I have to bring in my hospital papers saying I am unable to speak. And even then some teachers don’t believe me and please don’t even get me started ok substitute teachers. A lot of the teachers forget to leave in notes to the subs that I am unable to speak so I can’t even count how many times I have been sent to the principal office for quote “lying” and “disrespecting teachers”. And some teachers when I even show them my hospital papers for example the very old teachers still fail me on some presentations for not speaking. Like it makes zero sense how people can believe someone would lie about not being able to speak it pisses me off so fucking much. If you were looking for any advice and you’re struggling like I was when I was in school. I guess try to go to your counselor that helped me for only 1 year though. ask them to alert all your teachers

I love singing. I sang 24/7. I wrote songs and I could sing the melodies to them so the producers I connect with on Reddit can make actual songs from them. I found a high quality professional recording booth for FREE nearby and maybe I could TRY a singing career? THEN I GOT A THROAT INFECTION OUT OF NOWHERE. Now I can’t even TALK. Now I can’t sing the melodies to the lyrics I wrote. I can write lyrics still but I can’t sing. I can’t even talk please guys please.

I’m going to seek medical services and I hope someone can fix it. Please.

Any words of advice or words of comfort would be appreciated. But I guess I’m literally begging NOT to be a part of your community ahhhhhh please please.

In ONE WEEK there goes my singing career, and I don’t even know if I’ll be able to get the career I’m currently getting an education for.

hey, I’m a teenage boy nearing his gcses and 25% of my grade is a speaking exam, but I can’t talk in my in english most if the time, let alone french while I’m doing an exam with a stranger. I don’t have a diagnosis of selective muteness and every time my mum and I go to the doctor’s about it, he just tells me to go on kooth or something.

are they any benefits I can get for my speaking exam despite not being able to get a diagnosis? I’ve had these traits of mutism for a year or so and it’s been getting worse by the month, but the doctors and teachers won’t do that much to help in all honestly and just act like I’m insecure with my voice and ‘don’t want’ to talk.

hey! I was wondering if, when online and just simply mentioning it, whether it’d be acceptable to call myself just mute instead of selectively mute? asking this as I know a lot of HOH folk call themselves deaf despite not being ‘fully deaf’.

the reason I’d rather call myself mute is because people are more likely to understand ‘oh you don’t talk’ whereas if I specify if being selective it might get to a ‘so you can choose then?’ or a bunch of other questions that aren’t necessarily unkind, but just where I’d rather not explain lol. thanks!

He goes there every day, and I said hi. I wrote to him in a piece of paper to introduce myself and asked his name. He wrote back to me in the piece of paper I handed to him. I gave him my phone number and told him to text me. This guy is smiley, but seems very shy and he is very young (he is on his early 20's). In comparison, I am on my 30's, but I look younger as I have a healthy lifestyle (I am slim, in good shape and pretty) He texted me the next day I gave him my phone number, and he asked me why I want to communicate with him. I told him that he looks a nice guy and it got my attention how concentrated he keeps at the library. He texted me a happy face. After that, everytime I see him at the public library it seems he is trying to stay away from me and my sight. He seats far from me and when he comes and goes doesn't say hi. It seems he is trying to avoid me. I texted him and said that if my texting brings him anxiety, maybe I should stop sending him texts. He said "No it doesn't make me anxious".

Yesterday, I approached him and said hi and smiled. It is always me who is saying hi and he shakes my hand also. Yesterday, it was the first time he waved his hand from far away as he was leaving, but he just did it as I saw him by the door. I texted him four days ago to invite him to go for a walk at the park, and maybe to have a picnic. And I asked him what was his favorite food. He said he is not sure if he can make it, but he will text me a day before to let me know. he said " all depends about his work and family".

Are there some mute/deaf guys here to give me some tips about how to handle the situation? It seems he is not sure or confident enough to approach me just to say hi to me every time we are both at the library; Instead, he keeps avoiding me. Should I keep trying, or just forget about him? I am sad when for some reasons he misses going to the library. It makes my day just to see him from far away. I found him very cute. It is hard because I do not easily find guys attractive, or interesting. This is the first time in my life I have a crush. I do not text him often, or approach him often as I have observed he gets maybe intimidated. I am thinking that if he doesn't make an effort to meet, I should stop trying. Please help!

That stupid little bot does not want to work.

I have autism and I think im semi speaking (please correct me if semi speaking is the wrong term). I find speaking so tiring and painful. Recently I’ve been using AAC a lot more especially at college which I started last week. There are times where I just can’t speak and it has been happening a lot more (I always find speaking very tiring and painful but I’m talking about the times where I can’t talk at all). I would use AAC at home too if I could but my family doesn’t like it much. This might seem strange but I actually want to stop speaking completely because of the pain and tiredness it causes. I don’t know how I can persuade my family to let me use AAC around the house too. I feel my ability to speak slowly leaving and I’m finding speaking even more painful and tiring that usual (usually it is still quite bad). I feel like if I could be myself then I wouldn’t speak because speaking hurts and it’s so draining, I feel happier and better when I don’t speak because it saves energy and I don’t feel pain. I don’t really know if I want advice or not, I find it hard to know what I want sometimes. I just hope things get easier.

Hello everyone,

I have a sister in law in India who has never been able to speak. Additionally, due to financial circumstances her family could not put her through education.

However, she understands things that are being said by others and responds by making sounds or hand gestures.

The health care and systems in rural areas in India is bad. If there's an issue they visit the local village doctor but nothing gets recorded properly. That said she she does get a disability allowance so I'm guessing some level of evidence has been given in the past.

If I wanted an assessment or report of her exact condition who or what type of doctor or specialist do I need to seek out? If anyone can help point me in the right direction, I will seek out the equivalent specialist in India.

I'd essentially like a report that assesses my sister in law and says from X age she has not been able to speak and due to her lack of education her condition is categorised as X.

Anyone know where I can start please?

I'm selectively mute, and my jobs been causing episodes to show up again, so I'm looking to start seriously learning asl again, but I don't really have the option for traditional classes as it's a graveyard shift job that leaves me exhausted, so I'm hoping to find an asl learning app for Android with minimal paywalls if possible, if any of you know of any I would be really appreciative

Heya! I was wondering if anyone else here does rope climbing (top rope or lead) and what you do to communicate with your belayer? Im having trouble finding someone willing to do whistle commands so Im looking into what other options there might be.

Thanks in advance :3

Hey folks,

My name is Cody, I am a college student who turns 21 on Sunday, yay me, I have a couple questions in regards to the fact that we recently realized that I am mute in certain situations, but also when other disabilities in certain ways, interact and get involved, because I have CP with spasticity, and sometimes that spasticity involves my mouth or throat, but I also have certain PTSD related issues with mutism due to certain traumas, and not others, so I know I at least selectively mute, but I don’t feel like that fits the other half of what causes it, because I also just generally have the issue of verbal shut down due to ASD, or you could literally be that I don’t have enough spoons to speak that day, this was what happened yesterday pretty much all morning, I know I’m a little m mute. I’ve seek diagnosis from my various medical professionals, and they can all agree that I have some form of mutism, but we don’t know what it is, so I’m pitching the ball to the community so to speak to see if they might have some opinions or could help me, explain things a bit better to them maybe, so we can get to the bottom of this, even if it’s not a total fix, a partial fix is better than nothing, in regards to at least getting rid of the SM, even if I can’t get rid of the other sides of it, and even if I’m not able to get rid of the SM or the other sides of it, I know how to deal with things, this right here is why learning American Sign Language, well in addition to having a lot of deaf hard of hearing friends at my old university, but I was wondering if anyone had any insight? Or any tips or whatever. Because sometimes, kind of like with my CVI where I am blind because it’s neurological and there’s nothing I can do about that, I am cited in some aspects, in a similar vein, even though I am mute most of the time I technically am able to speak, kind of similar to being able to technically see with my CVI, CVI, for those confused is cortical, visual impairment, I.e. a neurologicalvisual impairment, as opposed to something physically being wrong with the eye. Thank you for your guys’s input.

Hello. I have autism and find speaking very hard. It is painful and very tiring. I use an AAC app on my phone sometimes but my family doesn’t like it because they want me to speak. I find speaking really hard all the time but there are times where I just cannot speak at all. I limit how much I speak to avoid being too tired but it doesn’t help much because I have to speak eventually. I would like some advice because I am going to college very soon and they will expect me to speak. I’m really scared for it and don’t know what to do. If I could use AAC I would but my family could find out and they wouldn’t be happy.

So i know this exists, i bought my phone from samsung so there's no carrier b.s., but the feature for rtt calls isn't there.

Tried asking samsung, their advice was to reset the phone.

I'm in canada on rogers with an S23.

I've lost my voice again and am sooo frustrated trying to speak on the phone. People call my cell and i can't do anything

I have bilateral vocal palsy... and whenever i get a cold I lose my voice completely.

So i found myself trying to call my doctor and realising the tts app i was using would not play on my phone.

What app can i use while on my cell phone to get text spoken aloud?

i have selective mutism and the time where i'm non-speaking has significantly increased with college. as said in title, i'm not able to use my AAC device or apps in one of my classes and it's very frustrating. ive been just writing notes out on paper but it's very clear my prof is still annoyed by this since they already don't take my selective mutism as a serious thing.

i'm trying to learn asl. but i don't know if that would help in this situation, i realize that learning it with the hope of communicating with him would probably be a hopeless endeavor.

i really don't know what to do with this situation other than what i have

i'm trying so hard not to be angry at myself for being non-speaking as much as i have. i thought i was no longer selectively mute by the end of high school but

I wrote a chapter in my book from the point of view of a character who has selective mutism. If you love to read and don't mind reading a sapphic romance, would you be open in giving me some pointers?

The book is basically finished, but I need to make sure the character Lily Hill doesn't feel off. For context, it takes place in 1896, Canada.

The character Lily Hill works as a head maid in the manor of my story. She is a talented seamstress and a big fan of parisian fashion. She completed her education and knows British Sign Language, English and French, she can also read and write. Her employer and daughter both learned BSL and communicate with her using spoken English or BSL. There are times where Lily experiences social anxiety but overall she pushes herself to take action and always does what's right. Her insecurities often don't represent how other characters see her and they often look up to her.

Lily does not use her voice often in the book, but it never really blocks her from doing anything. She mostly communicates using other methods such as BSL, bells, knocks, hums and gasps.

I'm not really part of the Mute or Deaf community, but I want to make sure I do any representation of minorities correctly. I was concerned that her position as a maid might be an issue? Do you think it's a problem?

You can reply here or to my DMs for more info.
Thank you for your time

--

EDIT: ** Sorry i forgot to clarify. Lily Hill is originally from England and so is her employer. The history of things is that her mother and her are both mute and lived in a deaf/mute community. I did check that it matched the history of BSL, it should be ok even if it's a bit of a wild coincidence.

When she started working alongside her mother at a local manor, it was for the Nightingale family who lived there at the time. There was a young girl called Grace Nightingale that recently married the man from there, and she had serious age gap with her husband or any of his friends, so she felt really isolated. This is mostly why the young maid Lily caught her attention, their age was similar. She noticed how she would sign with her mother and started copying the gestures. She then searched for documentation about this and learned basic hand gesture.

When she showed what she learned to Lily, the girl corrected her hand gestures and showed her new ones.

This is the same girl that became her employer in the future. She didn't learn BSL for a worker, she learned it before and insisted her daughter would learn it too. Her husband however does not know BSL.

The reason why the story is suddenly in Canada is that the Young Grace Nightingale got really ill from how polluted england was at the time. It was a common advice to suggest fresh air, so she was sent to Canada with Miss Lily Hill as her head maid. That's basically it for that...

I'm embarrassed at how much hidden lore I hid in the story and I'm sorry I didn't mention this before. I can see how it didn't make sense before. I couldn't really find a place in the story to fit this lore, but maybe I can write a side story that explains this.