Music Therapy for Children with Autistic Spectrum Disorders

Proposed Topic

The proposed topic is to develop an appropriate music intervention that will improve language skills in students with Autistic Spectrum Disorders (ASD). Because music engages the whole brain, singing improves language skills in children with ASD. Children with ASD tend to be more focused and disposed to use verbal communication through motivating musical activities that include body percussive rhythms, vocalizations, and singing (Berger, 2002). Rhythm plays an important role in language; therefore, employing singing, spoken music and pitched percussive Orff instruments enhances speech and language awareness in Children with ASD. Doctoral research will allow for developing appropriate vocal techniques, singing activities and props to improve language skills in students with ASD.

Introduction

The autism epidemic hypothesis indicated that the increased rate of children diagnosed with ASD is actual (Bishop, 2008). Autism Spectrum Disorders affect one in 150 American children and it appears during the first three years of age (Lim, 2009). Nevertheless, not every child with autism performs likewise. ASD is a variety of complex neurological developments which ranges from deficits in learning, language development, and social interaction to high functioning individuals with autism that can develop a language of a “little-professor” and recite literature word by word (Dawson & Ozonoff 2002).

This paper has two objectives: to review language development in children with ASD and discuss the impact of singing on language development in children with ASD. Language development is prominent in children with ASD. In fact, delayed language development is one of the reasons why parents refer children with ASD ...

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... Rasmessen, 2007; Kangas et al., 2011).

Music therapy

Music engages the entire brain (Hodges, 2006), it is a physical activity that allows learning to occur at different levels and conditions (Strickland, 2002; Hodges, 2006). For example, language skills in an individual with a neurological disorder or brain damage may be impossible, however singing is possible because the region of the brain that processes music is not damaged (L’Etoile, 2006). Music therapy is considered an appropriate approach for treating language, social skills, and communication in children with ASD (Adameck et al., 2008; Lim, 2010; Overy, 2009) because it “engages in multisensory and social activity” (Overy & Molnar-Szakacs, 2009. p. 2009). Music therapist work with music educators to construct a music environment that will allow supporting the students’ needs (Gallegos, 2006).