Music Therapy

Music is an ancient form of communication which is common to all human cultures. It requires no verbal abilities and it can be adapted to meet the needs and tastes of absolutely everyone. It has been seen that people with autism have particular affinity for music and a few may be prodigiously talented or also known as musical savants. Music therapy may include the use of behavioral, biomedical, developmental, educational, humanistic, adaptive music instruction, and/or other models.

What takes place in a music therapy session?

The music therapist would first asses the child to determine the child’s needs, abilities and the music preference of the child. After which an individualized music therapy programme is developed based in the child’s needs. A music therapy session would involve strategies like song writing, singing, playing instruments, listening to music or improvising. Depending in the child’s needs the therapist would decide upon the duration and whether to conduct sessions on one-on-one basis or in groups.

What are the benefits of music therapy?

It has been seen and analyzed that if a child undergoes music therapy sessions under a trained music therapist it can lead to the following improvements:

• Improved social awareness and interaction
• Improvement in attention and concentration
• Improved motor and perceptual skills
• Desire to communicate
• Improved awareness of self
• Reduction in echolalia or meaningless and irrelevant speech
• Reduction in restlessness

According to the National Autistic Society (UK) “music can stimulate and develop more meaningful and playful communication in people with autism”. Hence a music therapy session under a trained therapist can lead to a significant change in the communication, behaviour and social interaction of the child.