MUSIC THERAPY SERVICES
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ABOUT OUR MUSIC THERAPYWhen Music Therapy Services, Inc. provides music therapy services, we strive to provide planned, systematic applications of music to promote a professional relationship between therapist, child, and family to achieve each unique, customized goal. There are a variety of skill sets that we will address when working with your early childhood students, taking into account each student's various abilities, aptitudes, and interests. At the completion of the music therapy services intervention, your child will have been exposed to the following:
MUSIC & MOVEMENTActive movement activities are included with every music therapy session. Music Therapy Services, Inc., uses a variety of songs and props to achieve these active movements, which also generate cardiovascular benefits. Through these movements, our therapists strive to teach increased self awareness, increased motor skills, both gross and fine, developing and maintaining muscle coordination, following directions, increased auditory awareness, introducing and teaching academic concepts such as right/left or body parts, directionality, and success and participation within a planned activity.
MUSIC TO TEACH ACADEMIC CONCEPTSIt has been proven that using music as a tool to teach academic concepts increases success rates of memorization. This is because the brain processes musical concepts throughout the brain, rather than just in one area as with the spoken word. Our therapists use a variety of rhythms, songs, instruments, and props to expose your child to a variety of concepts that coincide with their current educational level, such as colors, numbers, months of the year, days of the week, animals, etc.
MUSIC TO PRACTICE SOCIAL INTERACTIONSAt Music Therapy Services, Inc., we strive to have every student be a contributing member to a successful music therapy session, and also a successful life. Music therapy offers a variety of interventions that focus on appropriate social interactions with others and boundaries. Through this program, your child will have the opportunity to practice such skills as appropriate greetings, appropriate ways to express and validate emotions, social boundaries, importance of a planned schedule, etc.
MUSIC TO ACHIEVE & GROWMusic and its structure provide a safe, mobile and fun way to practice a variety of life skills. Music Therapy Services, Inc., has a goal for every student to participate to the best of their abilities and feel that they were a contributing member of a group that made success possible. Decision making, social interactions, expressing emotions, academic concepts, body awareness, and muscle coordination are just a few of the concepts we can provide to students to ensure their current and future success.
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RESOURCESLOCAL RESOURCESAlzheimer's Association - Southeastern Wisconsin Chapter - www.alzheimers-sewi.org
Autism Society of Wisconsin - www.asw4autism.org Brain Injury Association of Wisconsin - www.biaw.org Down Syndrome Association of Wisconsin - www.dsaw.org Milwaukee Aging Consortium - www.milwagingconsortium.org Milwaukee County Department on Aging - www.milwaukeecounty.com Milwaukee County Disabilities Services Division - www.county.Miwlaukee.gov Milwaukee County Partners in Aging - www.counry.milwaukee.gov Wisconsin Senior Resources - www.seniorresourcesonline.com NATIONAL RESOURCESAmericans with Disabilities Act - www.ada.gov
Family Care giving 101 - www.familycaregiving101.org Medicaid - www.hcfa.gov Medicare - www.medicare.gov National Association of Professional Geriatric Care Managers - www.caremanager.org National Center for Learning Disabilities - www.ncid.org National Organization on Disability - www.nod.org Social Security Disability Insurance - www.ssa.gov |
AUTISM & MUSIC THERAPYWHAT IS AUTISM?
SYMPTOMS & CHARACTERISTICS
AUTISM & THE BRAIN• Children with Autism have characteristic abnormalities in the cerebellum (responsible for coordination of complex voluntary movements) as well as the brain stem (controls automatic body fluctuations such as breathing)
• People with Autism show reduced mirror neuron activity in the inferior frontal gyrus which may explain inability to assess intentions of others mirror neuron system (motor command neurons) dysfunction exists in the insula and anterior cingulate cortex which can cause symptoms such as absence of empathy • Deficits in the angular gyrus may result in language difficulties and sits in the crossroads of the brain's vision, hearing, and touch centers where nerve cells with mirror-neuron properties have been identified • Lack of mu-wave suppression measuring brain activity (electroencephalogram): ex: explains failure of infant to mimic a mother sticking out her tongue • Autonomic responses (Heart Rate, Blood Pressure) over-stimulated by aversive stimuli and sensory overload causing symptoms of Autism as coping mechanisms • Connections between sensory areas and the amygdala (emotional center in the brain dealing with aversive stimuli) may be altered which can cause compulsive, repetitive behavior patterns HOW CAN MUSIC COMPENSATE FOR EFFECTS OF AUTISM ON THE BRAIN?• Music can help correct problematic emotional behavior: Primary effects: neurological and biochemical and Secondary effects: subjective awareness, changes in emotional cognition, and behavioral responses
• Music significantly reduces: pulse rate, and plasma levels of epinephrine, norepinephrine, and cortisol which have direct effects on Autistic symptoms • Music can lower the secretion of stress related hormones, create reinforcement, and emotionally condition to redirect maladaptive behaviors • Music is sensory and can directly target sensory issues and coping strategies of Autism to compensate for overstimulation of sensory stimuli • Music directly accesses neuronal activity in the Autonomic Nervous System and arouses mechanisms in the midbrain and brainstem which can compensate for neurological abnormalities caused by Autism • Music makes contact through the thalamus and relays sensations and feelings directly to emotional centers (hypothalamus and limbic system) reaching cranial emotional centers without prior need for higher cortical analysis of the sensation • Music can address hypersensitivity sensory issues of Autism through holologic auditory processing: using music to stimulate planned decision-making, emotional reaction, and motor activity |
PHYSICAL DISABILITIESPHYSICAL DISABILITIES, NEUROLOGICAL DISORDERS & BRAIN INJURYFrom the rhythm of the heartbeat and breathing, to the cadence in walking, the body and the brain work in a rhythmic structure. Music Therapy techniques are very successful interventions for persons with physical disabilities, neurological disorders, and brain injury in many ways.
Music is reinforcing and can be used to motivate for movement exercise that increases range of motion, gross and fine motor skills development, and improvement in muscle and joint functioning. A Music Therapy technique called Rhythmic Auditory Stimulus (R.A.S) is shown to improve control of ambulation, improve gait training, increase cadence, and facilitate temporal and quantitative muscular control. Music can aid in relaxation and decrease the anxiety and pain that often accompanies disabilities. Singing can be used to increase cardiopulmonary and respiratory function,as well as improving oral-motor skills. Many people that may not be able to speak can often sing a song with amazing accuracy. Singing is very effective in the development and remediation of speech. Songs can also aid in promoting more effective activities of day to day living, therefore increasing independence. Music also provides a means for social interaction, group experience, and ways to explore emotions in a nonverbal and non-threatening way. Since music is instantly gratifying, it provides a sense of personal achievement, increases self-esteem, and self-worth. For more information on Music Therapy visit The America Music Therapy Association. |
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