Musical therapy is helping individuals with autism improve their overall temperament and learning abilities. They often respond positively to therapy, which uses music to improve speech and social skills.
Music therapy has been used in conjunction with other therapies to help with learning skills. Classical music playing in the background has been shown to help with mental processing for math and complex problems. In autism, music provides a non-threatening medium for people to play games that improve social and behavior skills. For example, singing and using musical instruments that need to be held close to the face can help break social barriers by encouraging eye contact. Music is engaging and fun.
The main benefit of music therapy is the development of speech and communication skills. Music connects the verbal and non-verbal functions in the brain, making it critical in autism. Individuals may start by humming, grunting, or making non-word noises, but eventually, they gain the ability to put phrases and sentences together to communicate with others. Everyone, regardless of their speech skills, can participate in musical therapy by clapping to the beat, humming along, or echoing sounds.
Individuals on the autism spectrum often have musical abilities. Some have perfect pitch, while others may play a particular instrument very well. Trained professionals can use music to teach them how to communicate in nonverbal ways, making it easier for patients to learn.
However, music doesn’t need to be reserved for therapy or a classroom setting. Playing music in the home or car introduces new sounds, instruments, and voices into the auditory world for an autistic individual. The Beatles or any other music may help them find their favorite song and learn to communicate in a way they never have before.
0 Comments