Since ancient times it has been known that music can affect health and mood. In modern times, informal gatherings of musicians playing for patients at veterans hospitals after the World Wars had a noticeable impact on patients’ emotional and physical well being, so much so that physicians and nurses began to organize more events at their hospitals.
Recently, music therapy has been in the news as an important element in the recovery of Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords. So what is music therapy and how is it applicable in the treatment of children with special needs?
The American Music Therapy Association (AMTA), created in 1988, by the unification of predecessors, the National Association for Music Therapy and the American Association for Music Therapy, is a central leader in the field of music therapy. AMTA defines music therapy as, “the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.” This industry has evolved today as an established health profession with more than 5,000 board certified therapists.
Their mission is to pursue “the progressive development of the therapeutic use of music in rehabilitation, special education, and community settings…AMTA is committed to the advancement of education, training, professional standards, credentials, and research in support of the music therapy profession.”
While applicable to adults, adolescents and children, music therapy has been deemed particularly important in the treatment of children with communication, attention, motivation, and behavioral problems.
The field is growing rapidly and is the subject of much research. In fact, Pubmed, the data base of the National Institutes of Health list 3381 publications concerning music therapy and 556 publications dealing with music therapy in the treatment of children. The AMTA describes the importance of music therapy for children as follows:
Currently the AMTA is hosting their annual conference in Atlanta. PlayAbility Toys is excited to represented at this conference through a partnership with Resounding Joy. Our newest product, Laser Band, is being debuted! This exciting new instrument allows children and adults with even severe physical and cognitive challenges to create, record, and experience the joy of playing music. It provides broad therapeutic opportunities while children and adults take pleasure in playing fantastic music ranging from classical to rock! With no prior knowledge of music required, Laser Band allows everyone a world of musical opportunities by using small arm and hand movements to break low intensity laser beams. You simply have to try it to believe what you can accomplish!
The Laser Band, PlayAbility's newest Music Therapy Tool.
Further reading on Music Therapy:
musictherapy.org
The Handbook of Music Therapy by Leslie Bunt and Sarah Hoskyns
Boyer College of Music and Dance--Temple University
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Music Therapy Research
Case Studies in Music Therapy by Kenneth E. Bruscia
The Handbook of Music Therapy by Leslie Bunt and Sarah Hoskyns
Boyer College of Music and Dance--Temple University
University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire Music Therapy Research
Case Studies in Music Therapy by Kenneth E. Bruscia
To purchase special needs toys or to learn more about PlayAbility Toys, visit playabilitytoys.com.
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