Musical therapy is a relatively new treatment method for autism patients, but one that should not be overlooking when discussing options. Patients who receive musical therapy often should great improvement in temperament and learning skills. Music connects to the non-verbal part of our brains, making it a perfect therapy for disorders in which the patient has trouble communicating, such as autism. Research this innovative treatment method if you are looking for some help with autism and haven’t had much luck in the past.

Musical therapy is effective because it can be used in conjunction with learning social skills. Music is a very non-threatening medium for patients, and many games can be played using music to help improve social and behavioral skills. By encouraging eye contact while singing or using instruments that need to get close to the face, musical therapy can help autistic individuals break social barriers.

The number one way that musical therapy can help children, as well as older autistic patients, is by helping with the development of speech skills. Music is a way to connect the verbal and non-verbal functions in the brain. Autistic individuals may have various forms of speech problems. Some can only hum, grunt, or make other non-word noises, while others babble nonsensical phrases or cries. Still others gain the capability to put together phrases and sentences to communicate with the world, although these usually lack emotion. Autistic people are known for monotone voices. However, no matter how skilled the individual is with speech, he or she can participate in musical therapy by clapping rhythms, humming along, or doing simple echoing songs.

Autistic individuals are commonly found to be particularly good at music. Some, for instance, have perfect pitch. Others can play a particular instrument very well, with little instruction. Even if he or she shows no genius musical ability by normal standards, you may find that a particularly hard to deal with autistic person has abilities in music that exceed his or her other abilities. A musical therapist can use music as a way to link this kind of learning with other kinds of learning, not only as speech development and social behavioral development as previously discussed, but also as a way to communicate emotions and develop memory.

By using all of these techniques in conjunction with one another, musical therapy can work wonders with people who are autistic. Trained professionals can use music to teach children and others how to communicate in nonverbal ways, making it easier for patients to learn. Research the musical therapy option to provide you or your child with another choice when treating autism.

A professional who specializes in autism can suggest different treatment for autistic’s that can have a significant positive effect on their behavior. One such treatment is Music therapy.

Music therapy is a controlled music experience that is used to facilitate positive change in human behavior. Each session of music therapy is carefully planned, carried out, and evaluated to suit the specific needs of each patient. Music therapy can include any of the following musical activities:

• Listening to music and/or musical creation
• Playing musical instruments (any instrument can be used)
• Moving to music
• Singing

As far as autism is concerned, studies have shown that music therapy has a significant, positive influence when used to treat autistic individuals. Participating in music therapy allows autistics the opportunity to experience non-threatening outside stimulation, as they don’t engage in direct human contact.

As was previously mentioned, music therapy is made specific to each individual. This is extremely important, because what may be positively received by one autistic may be negative to another. That being said, let’s take a look at the positive influence music therapy has had on autistic individuals.
Music therapy -

Improved socio-emotional development: In the first steps of a relationship, autistics tend to physically ignore or reject the attempts of social contact made by others. Music therapy helps to stop this social withdrawal by an initial object relation with a musical instrument. Instead of seeing the instrument as threatening, autistic children are usually fascinated by the shape, feel and sound of it. Therefore, the musical instrument provides an initial point of contact between the autistic and the other individual by acting as an intermediary.

Assisted in both verbal and non-verbal communication – When music therapy is used to aid in communication, its goal is to improve the production of vocalization and speech, as well as stimulate the mental process of comprehending, conceptualizing and symbolizing. A music therapist will attempt to establish a communicative relationship between the behavior of a child with autism and a specific sound. An autistic person may have an easier time recognizing or being more open to these sounds than they would to a verbal approach. This musical awareness, and the relationship between the autistics’ actions and the music, has potential to encourage communication.

Another form of music therapy that may help with communication is to play a wind instrument (IE flute). It is thought that by playing such an instrument, you become aware of the functioning of your teeth, jaws, lips and tongue. Thus, playing a wind instrument almost mirrors the functioning required in order to produce speech vocalizations.

Encouraged emotional fulfillment – Most autistics lack the ability to affectively respond to stimuli that would otherwise allow them to enjoy an appropriate emotional charge. Thus, since most autistics respond well to music stimuli, music therapy has been able to provide autistics with an environment that is free of fear, stimuli considered threatening, etc.

During a music therapy session, an autistic individual has the freedom to behave in specific ways that allow them to discover and express themselves when they want and choose. They can make noise, bang instruments, shout and express and experience the pleasure of emotional satisfaction.

Musical therapy has also helped autistic individuals by:

• Teaching social skills
• Improving language comprehension
• Encouraging the desire to communicate
• Making creative-self expression possible
• Reducing non-communicative speech
• Decreasing echolalia (uncontrolled and instant repetition of the words spoken by another)

Keep in mind that although music therapy can have positive effects on autistic individuals, it is vital that an autistic receives such treatment from a trained and experienced musical therapist.

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There are literally hundreds if not thousands of alternative therapies that can help in a wide range of different ways. In this article we are going to look at music therapy and autism. We will firstly give brief information on what autism is and also what music therapy is. We will then consider the ways in which music therapy can help those who suffer from autism.

What is Autism?

Autism is a neurological disorder that affects the normal functioning of the brain. There is no cure for the condition and the severity can vary between sufferers. However sufferers may find communication and understanding difficult. In addition to that many are thought to have exceptional talents in some forms of their life but find more basic things impossible to carry out. Autism is normally diagnosed when a child is about 30 months old but it is important to get a proper diagnosis to ensure you know exactly what you are dealing with.

What is Music Therapy?

Music therapy is basically the use of music to bring about change. Often it is used to change the mood or perspective of a person. This is something that you may notice on a day to day basis as a particular song could make you feel sad or happy. The process of music therapy is to use this ability to bring about change in people’s lives. It may be to help bring back memories in those suffering from dementia or to help relax a person suffering from stress. The uses and benefits of music therapy are vast and cannot be ignored.

Music Therapy and Autism

Music therapy can be useful for people who suffer from autism as the theory is based on the fact that everyone has a response to music regardless of their handicap. In fact music has been used to help sufferers of autism since the 1950s and the benefits are widely accepted.

One of the biggest benefits of music therapy is it can aid with both verbal and non-verbal communication for people with autism. This is particularly useful as one of the problems people suffering from autism have is their ability to communicate with others. It is thought that music can help as it reduces stress and strain and with it helps to build relationships. This can easily be put into practise by a parent singing to their child.

It is also thought that the use of music can help a child suffering from autism to develop self-expression in a creative way. This can have a large number of benefits as it can help to grow their confidence and also help with their emotional satisfaction. The benefits are very great and wide ranging and something that should be considered.

Conclusion

If your child has been diagnosed as suffering with autism then please discuss the use of music therapy with your doctor. They may be able to recommend a centre that your child can visit and experience music therapy. You may also find that it is offered at the hospital where your child is being treated. If you are not sure about music therapy then please do some more research but it really can help and is worth considering as something to really benefit your child.

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It is no easy task to find a teaching technique that can truly change the course of a child with special needs. Thirty years ago, when Janet Tubbs began working with children who had low self-esteem and behavioral problems, she developed a successful program using art, music, and movement. Believing that unconventional children required unconventional therapies, she then took her program one step further–she applied it to children with Autism, AD/HD, and Asperger’s… More >>

Creative Therapy for Children With Autism, ADD, and Asperger

A professional who specializes in autism can suggest distinct treatment for autistic’s that can experience a ample insured effect on their behavior. One this service is Music therapy. Music therapy is a controlled music experience that is used to facilitate positive change in human behavior.

Each session of music therapy is carefully planned, carried out, and evaluated to suit the specific needs of each patient. Music therapy can include any of the following musical activities: • Listening to music and/or musical creation • Playing musical instruments (any instrument can be used) • Moving to music • Singing As far as autism is concerned, studies have shown that music therapy has a significant, positive influence when used to treat autistic individuals. Participating in music therapy allows autistics the opportunity to experience non-threatening outside stimulation, as they don’t engage in direct human contact.

As was previously mentioned, music therapy is made specific to each individual. This is extremely important, because what may be positively received by one autistic may be negative to another. That being said, let’s take a look at the positive influence music therapy has had on autistic individuals.

Music therapy – Improved socio-emotional development: In the first steps of a relationship, autistics tend to physically ignore or reject the attempts of social contact made by others. Music therapy helps to stop this social withdrawal by an initial object relation with a musical instrument. Instead of seeing the instrument as threatening, autistic children are usually fascinated by the shape, feel and sound of it. Therefore, the musical instrument provides an initial point of contact between the autistic and the other individual by acting as an intermediary.

Assisted in both verbal and non-verbal communication – When music therapy is used to aid in communication, its goal is to improve the production of vocalization and speech, as well as stimulate the mental process of comprehending, conceptualizing and symbolizing.

A music therapist will attempt to establish a communicative relationship between the behavior of a child with autism and a specific sound. An autistic person may have an easier time recognizing or being more open to these sounds than they would to a verbal approach. This musical awareness, and the relationship between the autistics’ actions and the music, has potential to encourage communication. Music Therapy Autism

Another form of music therapy that may help with communication is to play a wind instrument (IE flute). It is thought that by playing such an instrument, you become aware of the functioning of your teeth, jaws, lips and tongue. Thus, playing a wind instrument almost mirrors the functioning required in order to produce speech vocalizations. Encouraged emotional fulfillment – Most autistics lack the ability to affectively respond to stimuli that would otherwise allow them to enjoy an appropriate emotional charge.

Thus, since most autistics respond well to music stimuli, music therapy has been able to provide autistics with an environment that is free of fear, stimuli considered threatening, etc. During a music therapy session, an autistic individual has the freedom to behave in specific ways that allow them to discover and express themselves when they want and choose.

They can make noise, bang instruments, shout and express and experience the pleasure of emotional satisfaction. Musical therapy has also helped autistic individuals by: • Teaching social skills • Improving language comprehension • Encouraging the desire to communicate • Making creative-self expression possible • Reducing non-communicative speech • Decreasing echolalia (uncontrolled and instant repetition of the words spoken by another)

Keep in mind that although music therapy can have positive effects on autistic individuals, it is vital that an autistic receives such treatment from a trained and experienced musical therapist. Don’t let your child suffer anymore! Lead your child out of his world through Music Therapy Autism program now!