Music therapy and Autism

Autism is like a rainbow, it has a bright side and a darker side. But every shade is important and beautiful.
- Rosie Tennant Doran

As every person living with an ASD diagnosis and every parent of a child with ASD knows, each and every case of ASD is as individual as the person who experiences the symptoms. This means that there is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all programme. In general however, ASD symptoms can be (very) broadly categorized by difficulties in social communication and interaction alongside the presence of restricted, repetitive behaviour, interests and/or activities. 

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Music therapy can help persons living with ASD to improve their social competences, independance and even academic skills. Ideally music therapy is positioned as an integral part of a multi-disciplinary team where the music therapist works closely with teachers, speech & language therapists, occupational therapists, psychologists, etc to address specific goals relevant to the individual at hand. This means that music therapists can help a child meet the goals of their individualised educational plan (IEP) and/or communicative, physical, sensory or psychological targets. 

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It can also be used as a stand alone therapy that works with any of the above areas and/or including addressing sensory issues, stress management, social skills and behavioural management. 

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Below, you can find some informative videos and podcasts about music therapy and autistic spectrum disorders.