If you are in the North East..

[specialmusic]

Hi all. I am a Special Music Therapist and from May on I will have two slots for children with disabilities, if anyone is interested. I have a waiting list for other client groups (who would also gladly fill these two slots) but I aim to keep at least 50 per cent of my work with children with SEN, hence this post.

Special Music Therapy is especially efficient with children who have ASD or learning disabilities as it helps develop social skills like turn-taking and sharing; it also helps induce speech in some cases and improves communication skills.

If anyone is interested, please contact me via the Special Music website (www.specialmusic.co.uk)

Hi. I would be interested in music therapy for my DS during the holidays (two children in my support group had music therapy input and it did wonders for their communication and behaviour) but travelling is an issue as I don't drive. Do you do home service?

Hi specialmusic, how does music therapy work for children with autism?

Not in the North East but particularly interested in this subject.

This would be brilliant for DS2 (5 next month, ASD, non-verbal and a music lover), but we're too far away to get to sessions easily.

We've been trying to access music therapy for some time.

Alliez: Do you do home service?
Yes, if you live in the Newcastle-Tyneside-Wearside area.

StarlightMcKenzie: how does music therapy work for children with autism?
The first thing to remember is that there is no disability in music; in music we are all perfect. Because of this music offers a liberating new environment to children with ASD. Through music-making the therapist draws the child into dialogue and joing music-making, which "painlessly" (i.e. without the child knowing it) facilitates communication skills (question/answer, eye contact, expectation, attention) and social skills like turn-taking and sharing. Music therapy can also be used to induce speech. Another area in hich music therapy for people with ASD can be very useful is dealing with frustration and anger. The starting point expressing oneself via music (because the "inner musician" is intact in people with ASD this does not need to be "learned", it comes naturally, but you need a person who understands it and can respond (=the therapist)) and then transferring this skill to other channels of communication.