Music and children: a therapy for almost everything

Music has magic and not only because it relaxes us, makes us dream, moves us to other times, to other places or drives us to dance ... Music can be an excellent therapy for children on multiple occasions.

We have already told you about the Mozart effect and its almost miraculous effects on babies, effects that have been questioned, especially when the baby is not yet born, because this music would not arrive while in the womb.

In reality, this "effect" has its antecedents in the Tomatis method, which without magical or miraculous pretensions points out how music stimulates the intelligence of the baby and the child and it helps in the learning problems, disorders and deficiencies of children, something that is widely demonstrated.

  • Music activates the brain, stimulating neuronal activity, listening and learning of speech in babies is improved, which is necessary to retain the information that comes to us or, later, for proper reading ... The Tomatoes method ensures that The high frequencies typical of classical music stimulate the brain allowing it to think and function with vitality.

  • Music can act by minimizing motor problems or helping motor development, since it improves coordination, balance and reaction to stimuli that come from outside.

  • Music therapy for premature babies could, according to some studies, provide significant benefits in the variables of heart rate, behavior, oxygen saturation, in the suction / feeding capacity and in the length of hospital stay of the newborn.

  • In the lack of attention and autism spectrum disorders, music can improve communication and relationship with the environment. Thanks to music, the creation of new neural connections can be favored (also with games, with animal therapies ...) that help the child to relate better to others.

  • In childhood hyperactivity, there are therapies with music that help the motor reactions of the child and his nervous system to balance with the intensity of the stimuli: more calm and relaxing music, less hyperactivity.

  • Hearing loss: children with hearing loss are able to receive music, either through their auditory rest, their feelings, vibrations ... For the Tomatis method, music exercises a kind of "massage" capable of favoring recovery of injured areas of the ear in mild hearing loss.

  • Communication and creativity: for all, all children and not only for those who have problems, music and good listening will influence the desire to communicate, explore, create ... and increases people's confidence and self-esteem. The arts in general are closely related to creativity, so they have to occupy an important place in our day to day and in our family leisure.

In short, although with certain problems music can act as a child therapy, any occasion is good to listen to music with our children (or create music), since they are babies: sing them, hum them, dance and play with their favorite music, to relax them, play instruments ... Let's put a soundtrack to life with our children.

Photos | iStock
In Babies and more | The Mozart effect, music for babies (I) and (II), Activities with music for babies

Video: Rebecca Ctr For Music Therapy Treating Children with Developmental Challenges for Nearly 15 Years! (May 2024).