Can Music Help Children In Overcoming Disabilities?
Image: Shutterstock  Vinay* is in his late twenties and deals with several disabilities such as cerebral palsy, blindness, juvenile diabetics and hearing problems. He also faced difficulties with verbal communication and the only way he could be taught was with touch. Vinay began music therapy roughly 15 years ago and with its help, not only can he sing but passed his 1st-grade exam in a certificated course in music. Now, Vinay himself has started teaching music to children in a special needs school and does not let his disabilities be the only thing that defines him. Music therapy is a form of therapy that involves the use of music to treat a patient. While it isnt the most common form of therapy in India, parents who have enrolled their children in music therapy, swear by it. Extensive studies have been carried out on the relationship between music and its effect on our brains. According to some, music not just helps in increasing ones IQ by a few points which can further help in overcoming disabilities. Image: Shutterstock  A child with disabilities often faces difficulties in expressing what they feel since they may not have the vocabulary or communication skills for it; it does not mean that they do not have anything to say. This leads to feelings of confusion, frustration and helplessness which only build over time without any intervention. For any abled person to understand this, you can imagine yourself being stranded in a foreign country, desperately trying to get home but you dont understand their language and neither they yours to help you. The non-verbal quality of music is a key factor that helps these kids in responding positively to it. I use Carnatic music in different forms like chanting of Omkara, Bhajan, Shlokas and pure Carnatic classical music in different modules to address the needs of those who deal from depression, anxiety, schizophrenia and psychiatric disorders like personality disorders, bipolar disorders, mental retardation, ADHT, autism, down syndrome and cerebral palsy. Ive been treating these disabilities with music therapy along with professional counselling to the parents. Since I have a psycho-social background Im able to discharge music therapy as a very effective intervention, said Dr Meenakshi Ravi who is a music therapist and founder-director of Meera Center for Music Therapy Education and Research based in Bangalore. Divya* suffers from schizophrenia and learning disabilities. She also suffered from hallucinations and delusions, which resulted in violent behaviour. The constant help from music therapy for almost ten years allowed her to complete her first-grade examination in music. She too, like Vinay, became a teacher in a school and teaches both abled and disabled children. Studies have proved an increased amount of grey matter in the brains of children who pursued music classes early in their formative years. Grey matter in the brain is the part that contains neuronal cell bodies. It is associated with information processing, memory, emotions, and decision-making, among others. Therefore, early exposure to musical therapy won't just help disabled children but also abled children. Dr Ravi also finds that the most improvement that she has observed was among the children who started music therapy when they were five years and under. She also adds that it is quite a challenge to offer therapy to children who come in their teenage years. At that age, music therapy is very effective because they have high receptivity when they are young. They listen to us and we can also modify their behaviour and thinking patterns. Everything can be influenced by music and even rapport can be built. Half of the work is done when you have a good rapport and offer unconditional love and acceptance which really matters a lot, along with professional skills, she explains. When it comes to teenagers, by that age and time, their personality has established and stabilised. It gets very difficult. Teenagers also have a lot of hormonal changes going on in their body, it is very challenging for parents to handle these children and also very difficult for the therapist to calm them, to understand them and perform the music therapy, she adds. Image: Shutterstock  In many cases, it has been observed how music can promote feelings of empowerment and connectedness which truly transform children as they grow. Art classes are already mandatory in schools across several boards and states, it only makes sense that music classes be made mandatory too. I really want music therapy to be made a part and parcel of the treatment processes in medical, psychiatric and social rehabilitation centres and orphanages in India. If we can establish the scientific authenticity of music therapy that will the greatest contribution that anyone will make for India, Dr Ravi believes. However, she also adds that good teachers, schooling and educational setup matter too. Since I come from a counselling background, I believe that anything can be improved if the child is given acceptance, warmth and empathy. Understanding the childs abilities and making them work in a systematic direction, anyones intelligence level can be improved. The right mentorship also plays an important role along with everything else, she concludes. *Names changed to protect privacy.