Music Therapy for Autism | Autism Video Lecture | Understanding and Treating Autism - Health & Fitness

so is there a role for music therapy in
children with an autism spectrum
disorder
absolutely music has been healing and is
transferring or transcendental for all
of us but particularly for children with
the autism spectrum it can be very
calming and it's a way of actually
increasing social engagement as well you
can have children engage with other
children playing music it is something
that has been used in new natal
nurseries for example with all children
but particularly with kids with autism
there's a lot of interesting data coming
out that sound and music is very calming
and actually can be also stimulating to
get them to be engaged more we have a
Beth Israel music therapy department and
music therapy is actually something I
recommend and parents are actually
naturally using you know I have parents
using certain sounds which will help
their child sleep certain sounds that I
mean kids naturally like to respond to
nursery rhymes and can dance and move so
movement and music is actually very
engaging and is used therapeutically
with children in autism or with habit
symptoms of the autism spectrum disorder
so music therapy and even movement
therapy is really very helpful for
children with an autism spectrum
disorder it helps them with
self-regulation which is one of the core
symptoms and issues that children have
using music whether it's at a slow Calm
listening to music or playing an
instrument or moving to music is all
beneficial and you have to tailor it to
your child they are music listening
systems that are available for children
because some kids actually can have
hyperacusis and a very sensitive to
sound so you need to do it on a gradient
and see what suits your child and tailor
it to his or her particular needs and
actually music is something you can
enjoy with your child so it becomes a
parent-child thing as well as something
that can be used for social interaction
and communication because kids can play
together with music and that's a very
important part of childhood because a
child's job is to play and with their
play they learn and music is a great way
to do that