Music therapy for children with autism

Music therapy refers to a method of treating diseases or promoting physical and mental health based on the practicality of music and applying music or music-related experiences as a means according to a systematic treatment procedure.

Music can help us relax and relieve fatigue. For autistic children, music is like a good medicine, which goes beyond language to express the emotional world, open the hearts of autistic children, help them communicate with the world, and has a good effect on the treatment of autism. So what are the uses of music therapy for the treatment of autism?

1. Music therapy can develop correct social and emotional behaviors in children

Children with this disorder usually have difficulty acquiring correct social skills. Organized music activities, such as singing, rhythm and movement, can provide them with an environmental stimulus for learning social behavior. Group music therapy can enhance experiences such as cooperation, sharing, observing order, and correct polite behavior. For example, through the music "Looking for a Friend", children can learn correct polite behavior (salute, handshake, etc.), and the process of listening to music will also bring them a sense of pleasure. In fact, many children with this disorder have incorrect behaviors such as not observing order, aggressive language, and random activities. However, through the process of participating in music activities, these incorrect behaviors will be significantly reduced. Under the playing of musical instruments, listening and the rhythm of music, it will become a reinforcing stimulus to enhance correct social behavior.

2. Music therapy can develop children's communication skills

Poor language communication ability is the most prominent problem for children. Mild and moderate children may develop basic language skills, but severe and extremely severe children must learn non-verbal communication methods such as sign language or the use of pictures. Music activities are an ideal way to learn communication skills. Therapists use the melody, rhythm, speed, pitch, dynamics and lyrics of music to develop children's ability to express language, receive language and accept guidance. In addition, music activities can help children expand their range of speech, improve pitch discrimination, and improve speech clarity and speech quality.

3. Music therapy can enhance children's hearing and memory abilities

Children usually lack the ability to distinguish between meaningful and irrelevant auditory stimuli in the environment, making it impossible to obtain and communicate information. Therapists can help children enhance their auditory system through various music activities, such as locating, tracking, identifying and distinguishing sounds. In the process of music therapy, repeated melodies and lyrics can help children enhance their memory of the content.

We cannot ignore the therapeutic effect of music therapy on children with autism. In actual application, we design different activities for children of different levels, and use enthusiasm to open up the children's closed and dark world.