Professionals who specialize in dealing with autism could recommend different treatments for autism which can have significant positive effects on behavior. One of the treatments you could consider when it comes to autism therapy in Nashville, TN is music therapy.
This involves controlled music experiences which are used for facilitating positive changes in the behavior of humans. Every session is planned carefully and evaluated in order to meet the requirements of patients. It can include a number of activities including:
Listening to or creating music.
Playing musical instruments.
Singing.
Moving to the music.
When it comes to autism, studies show music therapy has a very important and positive influence when it comes to treating autistic individuals. Participating in such therapy lets autistics experience outside stimulation in a non-threatening environment since they will not have to engage in any form of human contact directly.
As mentioned earlier, music therapy is designed specifically for every individual. This is very important since what one person may receive positively may just turn out to be negative for others. Now, let’s take a look at how positive an influence music therapy can have on autistic individuals:
Improved socio-emotional development
During the initial steps of any relationship, autistics usually physically reject or ignore any attempts of social contact by others. Music therapy assists in stopping this withdrawal by initial object relations with musical instruments. Instead of considering instruments threatening, autistic children are fascinated by the feel, shape, and sound of it. That’s why musical instruments provide initial point of contact for autistics and those acting as intermediaries.
Assisted in verbal & non-verbal communication
Whenever music therapy is used for communication, the main goal is improving the production of speech and vocalization, and to stimulate mental process of conceptualizing, comprehending, and symbolizing. Music therapists try to establish communicative relationships between children’s behavior and specific sounds. Autistic people might just have easier time understanding or being open to the sounds as opposed to verbal approaches. This awareness and the relationship between the music and actions of autistics can help encourage communication.
One more type of therapy which can assist with communication are wind instruments. These instruments can help you get aware about how your teeth, lips, jaws, and tongue work. Thus, playing these instruments can mirror the functioning needed for producing speech vocalizations.
Encouraged emotional fulfillment
Many autistics do not have the ability of affectively responding to stimuli which would otherwise let them enjoy appropriate emotional charge. That’s why, since a lot of autistics respond to music stimuli well, music therapy can now provide autistics with environments which are free from fear.
During music therapy sessions, autistic individuals have the freedom of behaving in specific ways which let them discover and then express themselves when they want to and choose to. They can make noises, shout, bang instruments, etc. which experiencing the pleasure associated with emotional satisfaction.
Remember that even though music therapy can have a positive effect on autistic individuals, it’s very important for autistics to receive this type of treatment from experienced and trained musical therapists.
