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Autism is a very complicated developmental disorder which is characterized by difficulty in verbal, non-verbal communication, social interaction, and repetitive behavior. These symptoms all appear during the first few years of your child’s life. Apart from these disorders, autism can also cause difficulties with motor coordination, intellectual disabilities, physical health issues, etc. Even though there are so many challenges related to autism, there are also some autistic children who have terrific visual, math, music, or art skills.
Consider music for autism therapy
What is this? It is research-based health care which uses music in order to help clients achieve their therapeutic goals.
Research-based means that there is some standardized research conducted in many schools, institutions, and hospitals to determine the effectiveness of this therapy.
Health care means music therapy is used for addressing various psychological, medical, and developmental goals, and is similar to fields like speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy.
Using music to achieve therapeutic goals means music therapists help clients to work on goals which are measurable goals which are usually found on IEP (Individualized Education Plan) or ITP (Individualized Transition Plan). Music therapists working with autistic children may be addressing social skill goals of improving turn taking. The therapist can make use of musical activities which include turn taking with instruments so they can address such goals in motivating and fun ways.
Music therapy and autism
Music therapy makes use of music interventions in order to help clients learn and even improve developmental skills like motor, speech, communication, social, and behavioral skills. Research on these benefits of therapy with autistic children has shown the following:
Improved behavior
Increased attention
Decreased agitation
Improved verbal skills
Increased socialization
Improved cognitive functioning
Enhanced auditory processing
Decreased self-stimulation
Most children who has ASD respond to music positively. Also, kids who have ASD usually show heightened response and interest when it comes to music. It’s for these reasons music therapy need to be considered when they are deciding on the type of autism therapy in Murfreesboro, TN to take.
What music therapists do?
Therapists usually start with initial consultations involving the parents so that they can learn more of the strengths and challenges faced by the child. For school-aged kids, music therapists usually review IEP’s and connects with the therapists and educators who are working with the child. Music therapists design treatment plans using therapeutic goals after they observe the child and then assess their behavioral, psychosocial, emotional, academic, cognitive, perception, communication, musical, and sensory-motor skills. From here their work begins, and the therapist will use various musical interventions in order to address goals of the treatment plan.
Music therapists continue adapting their approach to challenges and strengths of children and document client responses, conduct progress evaluations, and then make recommendations. Music therapists collaborate and consult with parents and team members to generalize all the gains achieved through music therapy. Music therapists can even offer excellent music-based education resources for the treatment team.
