The Use of Music Therapy to help People with Down syndrome - Razan Abou Chakra

The Use of
Music Therapy
to help Children with
Down Syndrome
Overview
Down syndrome occurs
when an individual has a
full or partial extra copy of
chromosome 21.
21
Down syndrome
occurs in about
1 in every 700
babies in the United States.
Each year, about
6,000 babies
born in the United States
have Down syndrome.
According to the most recent
Annual Report to Congress, more
children with disabilities are
receiving more of their education
in regular classroom settings.
81.4 %
77.4 %
People with Down
syndrome can work but often
have jobs that underutilize their
skills.
According to NCHPAD, 511 survey responses were received
from 37 states shows that the majority of the respondents
were currently working in some capacity; however:
2009 2019
spend at least 40 % of
their day communicating
with other
«Typical students».
57 % 30 % 26 % 03 %
Working a
paid job
Unemployed
Volunteering
Self-employed
People with Down syndrome are better at understanding
than expressing, that is why difficulties with speech and
language can often lead others to underestimate both their
intelligence and capabilities.
57 out of 58
parents, stated in a NCBI
survey, that they would
recommend Music
Therapy to others.
Music
Therapy
47 out of 59
parents reported seeing
improvements in other
areas including behavioral,
cognitive, linguistic, and
social changes.
In 1998, Bruscia defined Music Therapy as ‘a systematic process of intervention wherein
the therapist helps the client to promote health, using musical experiences and the
relationships that develop through them as dynamic forces of change’.
5 factors contribute
to the outcomes of
Music Therapy
05
Communication:
Musical interaction
serves as a
non-verbal and
preverbal language.
Attention:
Music distracts DS
from stimuli that may
lead to negative
experiences.
04
Cognition:
Behavior:
Music is related to memory
processes.
03
01
Music evokes behaviors
such as the movement
patterns.
Emotion:
Music can regulate
the activity of
brain regions that
are responsible for
evoking emotions.
02
Common Outcomes of Music Therapy
Communication
Physical
Cognitive
Improved
communication,
speech and
language skills
Improved
motor
coordination
Improved
attention
span
Increased use of nonverbal
communication,
including sign
language, picture
communication,
and gestures
Increased muscle
strength
Improved memory
Improved fluency
through singing
Improved
control over
motor
responses
Increased
ability to
make
decisions
Each child will respond differently based on their unique needs,
challenges, and abilities.
Why Music
Therapy?
Repeat songs
Music can be easily generalized
to other settings.
Share and
take turns.
That being said, we encourage therapists of other educational
or occupatinal sessions to adopt the following strategies
used in a music therapy session to boost the outcomes of the
children with Down Syndrome
Sources
Everything is
Music
Use musical
games.
Designed By Razan Abou Chakra
Middleeast medical portal - Overview: https://www.middleeastmedicalportal.com/an-overview-ofchromosome-aberrations/
NCBDDD - Birthdefects: https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/downsyndrome.html
IMEDpub - Education: https://childhood-developmental-disorders.imedpub.com/educating-a-child-withdown-syndrome-in-an-inclusive-kindergarten-classroom.php?aid=24254
NCHPAD - Employment: https://www.nchpad.org/6299/1415/Employment~in~Adults~with~Down~
Syndrome
Positivepsychology - Music therapy: https://positivepsychology.com/music-therapy/
Harmony music therapy - Benefits: https://harmonymusictherapy.com/outcomes-benefits-and-drawbacks
-of-music-therapy-special-needs-children/
NCBI - statitics for music therapy: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5333202/