Music Therapy

So true and it’s hard to make decisions! We have had several types of music therapy and they have been so good every time. When my child was little she was deaf and as her hearing recovered she was very scared of noise, we used music therapy to tune her into sound, this really helped her language and communication. It also helped body awareness and motor skills using drums, resonance boards, twinkling chimes. All sorts. And it was fun! now we use singing which is a type of music therapy but our own made up version. Essentially she has a singing teacher come, they work on singing but also posture, breath which all works on head and trunk control, it’s highly motivating. They write raps and when my child needs to stand or do things, she says her breathing tall rap to herself!

While we love going to music therapy each week we don't really feel like we have achieved much. My child often looks bored throughout the session and doesn't engage as much as we thought he would given just how much he loves music and dancing

Karen Twyford's research highlights the effectiveness of music therapy for children and adolescents with neurodisabilities, including cerebral palsy. Her study reviewed 53 sources spanning 40 years, showing that music therapy can address a wide range of physical, communication, and social outcomes. It is effective both as a standalone treatment and as part of collaborative team approaches. However, more evidence is needed to establish best practices and validate its inclusion in core rehabilitation services.

Pia Stampe, a physical therapist, has been using music therapy as part of her intensive pediatric therapy model for children with cerebral palsy (CP). She was inspired by Dr. Karen Pape, who introduced her to the idea of using music tracks for gait training. Stampe shared a success story of an eight-year-old girl with CP whose gait improved significantly through music therapy. The girl was able to internalize the music and adjust her gait even without external music playing. Stampe continues to use music therapy extensively, describing it as an auditory-motor substitution system that helps improve motor skills.

This paper reviewed the effects of neurologic music therapy (NMT) on patients with cerebral palsy (CP), focusing on motor rehabilitation techniques. Researchers analyzed 15 studies out of an initial pool of 4,117 articles to evaluate the impact of specific NMT methods, including rhythmic auditory stimulation (RAS), therapeutic instrumental music performance (TIMP), and patterned sensory enhancement (PSE).

The review found that NMT techniques, such as RAS, TIMP, and PSE, significantly improved gross and fine motor skills in patients with CP. These methods were identified as beneficial alternatives for motor rehabilitation, showing promise in enhancing physical abilities in individuals with CP.

For individuals living with or caring for someone with CP, this paper highlights NMT as a potential therapy to improve motor skills and coordination. It suggests that incorporating music-based interventions could enhance daily functioning and quality of life for patients with CP.

This systematic review is highly reliable as it analyzed multiple studies and was published in 'Frontiers in Neurology,' a reputable journal in the field. However, the findings are limited to the studies included, and further research may be needed to confirm long-term benefits.

This paper investigated the effects of music therapy on functional abilities in people with cerebral palsy. It reviewed eight randomized controlled trials, analyzing data from databases like CENTRAL, MEDLINE, and EMBASE.

The study found that music therapy significantly improved scores on measures like the Gross Motor Function Measure, Functional Independence Measure for Children, and Goal Attainment Scale. However, it did not show significant effects on other functional outcomes.

For individuals with cerebral palsy or their caregivers, this study suggests that music therapy might help improve motor skills and daily living activities, though the benefits may not extend to all areas. It highlights the potential of music therapy as a complementary treatment option.

This systematic review is fairly reliable due to its inclusion of randomized controlled trials and low risk of bias in key areas. However, the limited number of studies and small sample sizes reduce the generalizability of its findings.