Ten Benefits of Music and Movement Therapy for Children with Autism Toronto

Music soothes the savage breast in just about everyone. With the right selection, you can miraculously relax even the most rambunctious child, or bring some jump to a sleepyhead. Additionally, with the right combination of groove and dance, you can get them to open up in ways that you’ve never seen before. This is even more pronounced when it comes to children with autism. Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents a unique set of challenges when it comes to social interaction, communication, and sensory processing. There is something about the transfixing escape of song that works though. And it’s worth exploring. Music and movement therapy is a powerful and effective intervention technique for neurodivergent children, offering a multisensory approach.

Here we will examine ten key benefits of music and movement therapy for children with autism Toronto..

1. Regulating Emotions

Ever noticed how music can take you right back to a particular time and place? Do you find that you associate that place with a feeling that you had, more than any other sense? Music has been proven to have an incredible impact on emotions. With some trial and error, therapeutic use of music can help children with autism express, identify, and regulate their emotions. Upbeat tunes can elevate a child’s mood and energy levels. Calming music can ease anxiety. Being cognizant of how music can affect mood in yourself and in others becomes a valuable tool for emotional regulation.

2. Social Skills Development

Finding harmony with others in the same song is one of the great joys of life. It’s intimate. And inspiring. Joining in with a group of people playing music and dancing encourages a child’s sense of social interaction and cooperation. They’ll learn to collaborate, take turns, share, and listen to each other. This helps to foster essential social skills. Group activities provide a structured yet flexible environment for practicing social behaviours in a supportive setting.

3. Superior Sensory Integration

There’s a synergistic effect when you combine the energy of music with the vitality of body movement. It makes a person come alive and acts to engage many of the senses simultaneously. Music and movement therapy of this nature helps children with autism improve their sensory processing abilities. This is beneficial in the interpretation and organization of sensory information in our brains by combining auditory, visual, and kinesthetic inputs. Processing through multiple inputs reduces sensory overload and promotes better sensory integration.

4. Communication Skills Improvement

What cannot be put into words can sometimes only be expressed through song. Music is a universal language. It steps in to help bridge the communication gaps for children with autism. You can encourage verbal and non-verbal communication by playing instruments, singing songs, and engaging in musical activities. This helps neurodivergent children express themselves, and understand others, more effectively.

5. Enhancement Of Motor Skills

There’s one thing that’s universal about moving your body to music—everyone gets better with practice. With time, movement therapy can help to improve both gross and fine motor skills. Children develop strength, coordination, and balance from activities such as jumping, dancing, and playing instruments. These physical activities can improve daily functioning and are crucial for overall motor development.

6. Improved Attention and Focus

It’s fun to isolate just the bass on a track, or hone in on only the drum beat. In this way, music can be a shared focus. Music and movement therapy encourages children to pay close attention to specific melodies, rhythms, and physical movements. This focused attention is a skill that can be used for more than just music. Enhanced concentration and a sharpened attention span spill over into other areas of life as well, such as academics and sports. 

7. Bolstered Cognitive Development

There is a proven link between music and mathematics. They are both skills that require pattern recognition and use a similar part of the brain. In turn, music and movement therapy can enhance cognitive skills such as sequencing, memory, and problem-solving. There are cognitive processes that stimulate brain development and improve intellectual abilities, such as learning new songs, playing musical games, and following dance steps. 

8. Stimulated Creativity and Imagination

Singing and dancing is our chance to step out of the confined space that society puts us in and colour outside the lines a little. If your child wants to twist and shout about it, now would be an acceptable time. Music and movement provide an outlet for creativity and self-expression. Children with autism can experience a sense of greater freedom as they explore different sounds, rhythms, and movements, fostering their imagination and creativity. This creative exploration can be both therapeutic and enjoyable, boosting self-esteem and confidence.

9. A Reduction In Stress 

Songs can be healing. Movement can nurture. Music has been shown to reduce anxiety levels and stress. Therapeutic music sessions can provide a calming and relaxing experience for children with autism, helping them cope with the tensions that they face day-to-day. Movement activities can also serve as an outlet for releasing pent-up energy and tension.

10. Strengthened Parent-Child Bond

Find some music that you love and introduce the bands to your child. Participating in music and movement therapy can strengthen the bond between parents and children. Parents can engage in musical activities with their children, creating shared experiences and positive interactions. This bonding time can enhance the parent-child relationship and provide a supportive environment for the child’s development.

It’s no longer considered unconventional to support children with autism through music and movement therapy. It is now seen as an established, multi-faceted approach that just seems to work. Some of the immediate, observable benefits include enhancing communication, sensory integration, motor development, emotional regulation, social skills, attention, cognitive abilities, and creativity. It also reduces stress and strengthens parent-child bonding. Altogether, these approaches to therapy provide a holistic intervention that can significantly improve the quality of life for neurodivergent children. As more research and practice is diverted to this approach, more breakthroughs are discovered each day. Music and movement therapy is a valuable tool in the Monarch House toolkit, and represents just one of the many approaches we take to treat children with autism in Toronto.