Music And Autism Essay

Throughout history people listened to music and used it for various different things. In the earliest of times music was used to help emphasize story telling(Young 11). As centuries went on music became more prominent in everyday things and eventually was used for social occasions like festivals and weddings(Young 82). Today we use music for everything from recreational to rehabilitating people. We use music to express ourselves and say things we don’t know how to say. Music is an outlet for people now-a-days. What people don’t realize is that music is basically a medicine. It helps us rehabilitate people, calm them down, keep our bodies in rhythm, and it is used to help people with disabilities function better in society. The only thing is is that people don’t know how to properly use music to help themselves and others. But music is beneficial to people’s health!

Music being a lifeline for individuals with all types of isolating emotional, physical, neurological and psychological conditions, has incredible effect to the autistic children. It enables the autistic children to interact and communicate to others and have improved learning

The modern practice of music therapy, however, didn’t become widespread until the 1940s, when hospitals employed musicians to aid in the treatment of veterans (“American Music”). Today, in the United States music therapy is defined as “the clinical and evidence-based use of music interventions to accomplish individualized goals within a therapeutic relationship by a credentialed professional who has completed an approved music therapy program.” The goals of music therapy for children with autism generally include engaging the strengths of the child to ensure that they have the skills to be successful in

Through the use of music children with autism are able to express themselves better in these social situations. Children with autism are found to not be as engaged with others in social situations as other children. Children with autism are found to have impairment in their communication skills when they want to express themselves in a social situation (Gattino, dos Santos Riesgo, Longo, Leite, & Faccini, 2011). A study done by Kim, Wigram, and Gold found that music therapy promotes social skills, motivational and emotional development in children with

Music is an art form that appears in every culture of the world. For thousands of years it has been an important part of the human experience. Music has been used for entertainment, as a way to pass on stories, and as a form of artistic expressions.Each person has their own preference of music of music they like, but most people like music in some form. Music has also been used by therapists patients with mental and physical health issues and achieved good results.

This article defines music therapy and how it makes an impact for individuals with diagnoses on the autism spectrum. It also explains the job of the therapist and how they work with their clients.

1 in 68 births in the United States will result in a child with autism. According to the Autism Society of America, it is reported as the fastest-growing disability, reaching epidemic proportions at a rate of 10-17 percent per year. Most parents recognize the signs and symptoms of autism anytime between birth and the first three years of their child’s life. Autism is classified as a neurological disorder and it affects the normal development of a child’s brain. Autism is not just one disorder, but a group of related disorders with a shared set of symptoms. All children on the autism spectrum have three major challenges; they are with social skills ab nd behavior, communication and cognition. Autism can be identified by a certain set of behaviors, but children can have any combination of the behaviors at any degree of severity. In fact, when it comes to their behaviors and abilities, no two kids with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) are the same; each child has their own unique capabilities, symptoms, and challenges. There are many different treatments and medications used to remedy and lessen the symptoms of autism. They include different types of therapies and training, special diets, vitamin supplements, as well as, complementary and alternative medicines. Music therapy is the most effective treatment for children with autism spectrum disorder. Of all the therapies associated with autism, none achieve more positive results. No other type of treatment helps children to

As mentioned before there are many interventions to treat autism in children. Parent Education and Training, Social Skills Training and Speech-Language Therapy, Cognitive Behavior Therapy (CBT), Applied Behavior Analysis (ABA), Music Therapy, and Sensory Integration/Occupational Therapy are some of the most commonly used therapies. However, this study will focus only on applied behavior analysis (ABA) and music therapy and the benefits when they are used together.

One of the major deficits that come along with autism is communication skills. Some people with autism may have the language skills and don’t know how to put them to use and others may not have the language skills and have not been taught how to communicate their wants and needs (Eren, 2015; Gattino, Riesgo, Longo, Leite, & Faccini, 2011; Kern, Wolery, & Aldridge, 2006; Kim, Wigram, & Gold, 2008; Lagasse, 2014;Thompson, Mcferran, & Gold 2013). On the other side of communication is the social aspect of it. People with autism, especially adolescents and adults, are most of the time socially awkward. They may use their body language wrong or they may not understand others body language and they may not do simple things we take for granted such as eye contact when talking or listening. A lot of the time they don’t understand what personal space is or just plain how to be socially accepted (Eren, 2015; Gattino, Riesgo, Longo, Leite, & Faccini, 2011; Kern, Wolery, & Aldridge, 2006; Kim, Wigram, & Gold, 2008; Lagasse, 2014;Thompson, Mcferran, & Gold 2013). The role that music therapy plays in changing the social and communication skills in people with Autism is presented in this review. It is conjectured that music therapy will has a positive effect on communication and social skill in people with autism by increasing the skills so that they are more socially accepted. The following reviews of literature look at both side of the perspective of having a positive affect and no affect

Music is something that builds ideas, inspires, destroys, and enlightens people. Music in history has changed throughout the ages, music now is incredibly different in sound compared to the way it use to be. One thing that has not changed is the feeling, the way a song is written. Music entails words of another’s mind and their personal experiences. Many philosophers have said that music is pure; the emotional expression of a song can have an impact on the way someone is feeling. Music is my personal way of escaping, not only by listing to the lyrics, by writing, by singing, by playing, I cannot imagine what life would be if music was nonexistent.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in 68 children are diagnosed with autism. Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a serious neurodevelopmental disorder that impairs a child’s ability to communicate and interact with others (Mayo Clinic, 2014). Individuals who suffer from this disorder are often hindered by behaviors that keep them from properly functioning in their everyday lives. It is hard for a child with autism to form and maintain relationships with family and friends since they are lacking the proper behavioral skills to do so. When a child is diagnosed with ASD, three crucial areas of development are affected: verbal and nonverbal communication, behavior, and social interaction. Since there is no known cause or cure for this disorder, early treatment methods, such as music therapy, can be used to make a huge difference in the lives of the children with ASD. Using music therapy for children with ASD involves a board-certified music therapist working with autistic children to explore the benefits that music can have on their behavior, communication, and development of social skills.

Abstract: Autism is a brain development disorder that is found in children usually before the age of three. Autism affects children and their “social interactions, impaired communication, and restricted and repetitive behavior.” (www.wikipedia.org) The number of children that have been diagnosed with autism is dramatically increasing. Boys are four times more likely than girls to be diagnosed with autism. Signs of autism include visual impairments such as lack of eye contact, speech impairments and limited speech, and restrictive interests and repetitive behavior. Treatment for children with autism includes therapy including

There are multiple ways to heal and multiple benefits that come out of healing. One of those healing methods is Music Therapy. Music Therapy has been shown to help many people of all age groups, a specific group being children with autism. It helps benefit children with autism by improving their communication and social skills. Just simply listening to music calms and puts the brain at ease. Music Therapy is beneficial to this specific group because though they may have deficits socially, they show none when it comes to musical affect. This form of therapy allows autistic children to improve those social skills in a fun and engaging way.

Music is defined differently for each individual. It is the universal language that speaks to us all, but in different ways. It is one of the few genres that can instantly transport a person back to the past. Music is also an art of sound which expresses ideas, thoughts, and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, and harmony. It is the design of giving structural form and rhythmic pattern to combinations of sounds produce instrumentally and vocally. To me, music brings a sense of calmness, happiness, and peacefulness. Music is the absolute bread of life because it feeds my soul.

Music is something has been around for a really long time. Music can be seen as a form in which artists express themselves but it could also benefit people that listen to it. Music has many uses for people. Musical therapy is a type of therapy that has been developed and researched well. Patients using musical therapy benefit in many ways such as helping in dealing with emotions, improving learning, and improving sleeping.