Posted: September 28, 2015
Music can be a huge part in everyone’s life and can even improve a person’s life. More and more people are looking into music therapy to help increase their quality of life. From speech to memory, music therapy can help. Music can touch the lives of children with Cerebral Palsy and with music therapy they can receive many benefits.
According to the American Music Therapy Association, “music therapy is the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship…” It is important to find a professional who has a degree in music therapy and who understands your child’s specific needs. Music therapy can strengthen or reinforce areas of speech, cognitive abilities, and motor coordination and range of motion.
One benefit children can get from music therapy is an improvement in speech or language. Singing along to songs creates a structure that can improve a child’s fluency or rate of speech. Also, music therapy can “remediate unusual loudness, breathing and pitch of the speaking voice”. You can even use sign language, PECS, or computer assisted technology along with the music to enhance that way of communicating. Music therapy can not only improve speech, but also boost a child’s confidence while trying to communicate.
Children with learning disabilities or mental impairments can use music therapy to help improve cognitive skills. For example, the ABC song or the Head and Shoulders song, can help a child remember the alphabet or learn body parts. Music is being used as memory aids and learning aids that can enhance a child’s cognitive ability.
Another benefit from music therapy is an improvement of motor coordination and range of motion. Movement or exercises can be matched up with music to help decrease muscle resistance and to improve endurance. Stretches can also be paired up with music to relieve tight muscles. Music therapy can be a fun, easy way to get your child moving and to improve motor coordination and range of motion.
Music therapy uses specific strategies to improve a person’s life. Some of the benefits include speech, cognitive ability, and motor coordination and range of motion. It is important to find a professional who has a degree in music therapy that can work with your child and possibly other therapist (speech, occupational, etc.) to help improve your child’s quality of life. Not only is music therapy fun, but it can benefit children with Cerebral Palsy and is worth the try.
If you any questions regarding Cerebral Palsy or would like to find out more about music therapy, don’t hesitate to download our eBook on music therapy, call us at (800) 692-4453
(800) 692-4453 FREE or fill out our contact form on Facebook or our website.
