Music Therapy: Another Path to Learning and Understanding for Children on the Autism Spectrum

Music is a unique path to communication and learning for children. Its effectiveness as a therapeutic and learning tool comes from its ability to provide two distinct frameworks for therapy and teaching. Music can create a consistent, stable, and predictable environment. Melody, harmony, and rhythm from a favorite song can provide familiar cues and bring comfort in an unfamiliar or stressful setting. Yet music can also be infinitely flexible: changing with the child from moment to moment, reflecting his or her behavior and emotions. Music therapy is the prescribed use of music to address non-musical goals in such areas as cognition, communication, and socialization. Music therapists are degree professionals who structure specific therapeutic plans in a variety of educational and health care settings, creating unique interventions for each individual. However, many of the principles of music therapy can be put to use by other therapists, teachers, and parents-even by people who do not consider themselves musical.