Musix mix

Autistic Music Therapy

Music can be a motivating and fun way to teach all children and in particular children who suffer special learning needs. It is unquestionable the present through the medium of music many essential and enabling livlihood skills can be learned and the benefits so playing and learning music can have on a simple growth and development are immeasurable. Autistic Music Therapy

All children have the same need to express themselves and playing a musical instrument can provide an outlet for creative and emotional expression. When we think of music we don’t often think of it as therapy. But it can be. The playing of good quality percussion instruments during music therapy sessions can be of inestimable value for children who have difficulties in hearing, seeing, moving, thinking or responding; each can experience the music in their own unique way. The music is not the goal of music therapy. Autistic Music Therapy

Cognitive stimulation, self-expression, self-awareness, or increased motor movements are some of the goals that music therapy can focus on and the music itself is simply a tool to achieve these goals. Listening to music for enjoyment is very beneficial but active participation is even better. For children and adolescents with cerebral palsy, playing music may be an effective way to stimulate speech development and communication skills, express emotions, develop a sense of rhythm and provide opportunity for physical, cognitive and motor development whilst creating an environment for socialisation and fun. Autistic Music Therapy  Read more...

Music Therapy Autism

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.  Read more...

Music therapy uses music to promote positive changes in the wellbeing of an individual. These positive changes may be manifested in changes in physical development, social and interpersonal development, emotional or spiritual wellbeing or cognitive abilities.

The therapeutic benefits of music have been known and harnessed since ancient times. However, music therapy in modern times dates back to the World Wars when music was used in hospitals in the rehabilitation and recovery of soldiers who had suffered physical or emotional trauma. The University of Kansas was the first University in the United States to offer a degree program in music therapy in 1944.

Early exponents of music therapy in the 1950’s to 1970’s included the French cellist Juliet Alvin and Paul Nordoff and Clive Robbins. The Nordoff-Robbins approach is still used in many countries around the world including the USA, UK, Australia, Germany and South Africa.

So, how does music therapy work?

Music is universal and connects across language barriers. Most people can respond to music in some way regardless of illness or disability.

Music has an inherent ability to generate an emotional response in the listener. It stimulates a relaxation response which can therefore lead to physiological changes in the body. Music is known to reduce stress thereby producing related benefits such as lower blood pressure, improved respiration, reduced heart rate, better cardiac performance and reduced tension in muscles.  Read more...

Music has been a part of existence since time immemorial. And, it is everywhere -in the rhythms of nature, the chatter of animals and birds, the babbling of babies, and in the dancing of brooks. Listen and you will hear sweet tunes all weaving a magic of their own.

It is well known that the origins of music go back at least 50,000 years. Music seems to be ingrained in our genetics and tunes are rhythms that are integral to our lives.

Music seems to play many roles in our lives:

• Research indicates the children who learn music are more likely to become doctors, engineers, and computer professionals. Music learning develops areas of the brain responsible for language as well as reasoning. Music is known to sharpen memory. A Rockefeller Foundation study reveals that those who studied music have SAT scores of 427.

• If a child in the womb of its mother listens to music it is born with highly developed intelligence.

• Music molds people—it teaches coordination, teamwork, discipline, and self-expression.

• The therapeutic values of music are well documented. It heals people with mental problems, developmental and learning disabilities, Alzheimer’s disease, brain trauma, and hypertension. That music heals has been recorded in the works of Aristotle and Plato and in the centuries that followed.

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Have you ever sat somewhere and marveled at how quiet it was? You are acutely aware of sound because it is so unusual to be without noise, We always hear hum from machines, the rumble of traffic, a plane, or other people talking Modern noise pollution is subtle, inconspicuous, and more dangerous than we realize

Exposure to most noises causes irritation, stress, and can result in permanent hearing loss and health problems. It’s difficult to eliminate noise, Often we try to cover offending ambient noise with music. If you like the music, it usually results in fewer physical problems.

We know that brain waves are modified by sounds. Beta brain waves, those between 14 and 20 hertz are most common. We achieve relaxed concentration or lucid awareness when alpha waves, between 8 and 13 hertz, are present Music with about 60 heats per minute–particularly that of Mozart, Brahms, and Bach–shifts the brain’s activity from beta to the higher-awareness alpha waves

It’s called the Mozart Effect. This type of music lowers stress and increases concentration. A study in England found students scored 10 points higher on an IQ test after listening to Mozart compared to those exposed to silence, white noise, or other music. White noise is just low-level random sounds. Examples are radio static and running water.)

Researchers suggest that we respond to music because our bodies are rhythmic. Our breathing, heartbeat, and many other body functions have an intrinsic rhythm.
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