Social Anxiety | Selective Mutism?

I’ve come across a term the other day called selective mutism.  Selective mutism sounds a lot like social anxiety or social phobia.

The definition for selective mutism according to the Medline Plus website is a condition in which a child who can speak well stops speaking, usually in school or social settings.

The causes for this can be anxiety, biological, environmental or social.  The causes pretty much mirror social anxiety.  So, why then must we come up with another label?

Why Selective Mutism and not Social Anxiety?

Why can’t we say the child has a severe form of social anxiety or social phobia with a symptom “afraid to speak in social situations” or something to that affect?

Maybe because if we have a new label, we are able to come up with a new specialist in the medical/psychology field or a new drug or something else that is going to cost more money.

Social anxiety or selective mutism can affect anyone, including children, in school or social settings, and without treatment, symptoms could possibly get worse.

I am all for someone getting treatment when needed.  I am just opposed to adding labels to problems needlessly for the sake of providing professionals with a fat wallet.