In this article I will discuss how music therapy is of benefit to someone with special needs. The reason I am discussing the benefits of music as a therapy for special needs children is because throughout the centuries, music was used as a means for healing. Also there is documented evidence of the benefits of music as a form of intervention to treat a range of physical, emotional and learning disabilities not only in children but in adults also.

This article discusses:

1. How is music therapy conducted?
2. Why music is of benefit to children with special needs?
3. Using music at home for children with special needs

Music therapy can be conducted any number of ways. The qualified therapist will decide the type of music and type of therapy that would best suit the child.

Music therapy can be conducted with just one child or in a group setting. However it must be pointed out that group settings may not suit some special needs conditions especially where there are sensory issues and sensitivity to noise. In this case, the child would get more benefit from a one on one form of therapy where they could explore music at a quieter and uninterrupted level.

The therapist would also decide the type of musical program that would best suit the child’s needs. As the child becomes more used to music as a form of intervention, the therapist can expand the musical experiences of the child and try new things.

In a group setting, the therapist would try to match similar needs of children in the same group so the entire group would benefit.

The music therapist would play some background music and have a large number of instruments for the children to play with as part of the music therapy. For children to want to do music therapy, it needs to be fun. Different sounds, different instruments and ideally some colour and novelty should be introduced.

The therapist will select the type of the music to use for the treatment and will instruct the children on what to do and when to do it.

When operated by a qualified instructor, many health benefits have been reported for special needs kids. These include greater motor co-ordination, greater sensory awareness, increased self-confidence, greater concentration and improvements in learning ability overall.

At home, do not be afraid to experiment. Classical music has been shown to help with some academic subjects and with keeping calm. Try keeping music in the background which is uplifting for day time and calming for night-time. Give your child a choice in the type of music they would like to hear and rotate the music from time to time to give your child new experiences.

Do you want to learn more about special needs parenting? If so, download my free guide here: http://www.parenting4specialneeds.com
Orla Kelly is a special needs parenting coach, and can help you help your child.

World wide, people love and listen to music. It touches each and every soul. To many people in many cultures, music is an important aspect of life. But most people become shocked when they hear of the term Music therapy. It seems that this Therapy is still an alien subject to many people across the world. As the term therapy suggests, Music through Therapy is a process through which a therapist helps a client improve or maintain his or her health. Researchers in Music have noted that music has an excellent power in can expelling diseases. Therapy is used to help people suffering from conditions such as psychiatric disorders, medical problems, sensory impairments, developmental abilities and other health related ailments.

The history of music goes way back in time from the days when David played the harp to rid King Saul of an evil spirit. And as early as 400 B.C., Hippocrates, the Greek father of medicine, played music for his sick patients. In the 17th century, the scholar Robert Burton discovered that music was instrumental in healing illnesses. And in most parts of the world, especially in South America and Africa, medicine men employed chants and dances as way of healing patients. Music as we know it began during the first and second world wars. In this period, Musicians would travel to hospitals and play for soldiers suffering from various ailments as well as physical trauma.

The practical applications of music for healing are irresistible. Cutting-edge music therapy helps the autistic to rehearse their emotions and helps patients suffering from Parkinson’s disease to walk.Music uses a lot of techniques in dealing with health related ailments. The most common techniques include music improvisation, the use of pre-composed songs and receptive listening to music. One case where music therapy was used was in the healing of a thirty-five year old woman who had chest problems. This woman was lying in bed moaning in pain, but when her little boy with his drum set began playing the drums for her, she suddenly felt better. And after a few hours, the woman was able to get up and complete some chores in the house.

To those unfamiliar with music therapy, the idea of a woman being healed by a little boy playing his drum set is hilarious to say the least. But studies have shown that music positively affects a patient’s emotions since it impacts some portions of the brain. Hence that is why a lot of stroke patients respond favorably to music. In fact, recent studies that were conducted proved that out of fifty stroke patients, thirty-five patients who were exposed to music therapy fully recovered.

With all the benefits that music therapy has, it is no surprise that this field is growing rapidly in popularity. Many hospitals now are turning towards music as the cheapest tool for healing and relieving pain in patients. And more countries are now recruiting experienced music composers, producers and singers into the field of music therapy. In United States, for instance, those who can qualify for positions as music therapists are required to have proficiency in guitar, piano, reading and music theory. It is proven belief that everyone can respond to music.

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