A professional who specializes in autism can suggest different treatments for autistics that can have a significant positive effect on their behavior. One of those treatments is music therapy.
Music therapy is a controlled musical experience used to facilitate positive change in human behavior. Each music therapy session is carefully planned, carried out and evaluated to suit the specific needs of each patient. Music therapy can include any of the following musical activities:
o Listen to music and / or musical creation
o Play musical instruments (you can use any instrument)
o Moving to the beat of the music
or singing
When it comes to autism, studies have shown that music therapy has a significant positive influence when used to treat autistic individuals. Participation in music therapy allows autistics the opportunity to experience non-threatening external stimulation, as they do not engage in direct human contact.
As mentioned above, music therapy is made specific for each individual. This is extremely important, because what one autistic person may receive positively may be negative for another. With that said, let’s take a look at the positive influence music therapy has had on autistic people.
Music therapy –
Improved socio-emotional development: In the first steps of a relationship, autists tend to ignore or physically reject attempts at social contact made by others. Music therapy helps stop this social isolation through an initial object relationship with a musical instrument. Rather than viewing the instrument as a threat, autistic children are often fascinated by its shape, touch, and sound. Therefore, the musical instrument provides an initial point of contact between the autistic person and the other individual by acting as an intermediary.
Assistance in verbal and non-verbal communication: When music therapy is used to aid in communication, its objective is to improve the production of vocalization and speech, as well as to stimulate the mental process of understanding, conceptualization and symbolization. A music therapist will try to establish a communicative relationship between the behavior of a child with autism and a specific sound. An autistic person may have an easier time recognizing or being more open to these sounds than to a verbal approach. This musical awareness and the relationship between autistic actions and music has the potential to foster communication.
Another form of music therapy that can help with communication is playing a wind instrument (i.e. flute). It is believed that by playing such an instrument, one becomes aware of the functioning of their teeth, jaws, lips and tongue. Therefore, playing a wind instrument almost reflects the performance required to produce vocalizations of speech.
Promoted Emotional Fulfillment: Most autistics lack the ability to respond affectively to stimuli that would otherwise allow them to enjoy an adequate emotional charge. Thus, since most autists respond well to musical stimuli, music therapy has been able to provide autists with an environment free of fear, stimuli considered threatening, etc.
During a music therapy session, an autistic individual has the freedom to behave in specific ways that allow them to discover and express themselves when they want and choose. They can make noise, bang on instruments, scream and express themselves and experience the pleasure of emotional satisfaction.
Music therapy has also helped autistic people by:
o Teach social skills
o Improve understanding of language
o Encourage the desire to communicate
o Enable creative self-expression
o Reduce non-communicative speech
o Decreasing echolalia (uncontrolled and instantaneous repetition of words spoken by another)
Note that although music therapy can have positive effects on people with autism, it is vital that an autistic person receives such treatment from a trained and experienced music therapist.
