Case Studies
CASE STUDY - SUPPORTING CONCENTRATION & INTERACTION
Komal is 7 years old and has global developmental delay with sight and hearing difficulties, speech and language delay and is tactile defensive.
This is an extract from her mother’s account of Komal’s experience of Music Therapy:
“I believe that the therapist’s enthusiasm, his experience and patience have paid off and he has brought out Komal’s true musical potential. Music has developed her confidence both with the musical instruments and also with interacting with other children and learning how to take turns.
Now she has the confidence to express herself and the ability to listen and then copy. Her hand-eye coordination has also massively improved
Komal focuses and concentrates on the instructions being given to her. The praise she receives from the therapist makes her face light up with excitement.
Music has greatly enhanced Komal’s quality of life and that of her parents too! It is so rewarding to see her do well in something after receiving such a gloomy prognosis at birth.”
CASE STUDY - A VOICE OF CONFIDENCE
Ragini is 11 years old and has physical and neurological difficulties, is gastrostomy fed and has a severe learning disability. She found the world a scary place and did not tolerate most noises apart from music and could sing before she started to speak at aged 5.
Ragini was very insecure and wanted to join in school Christmas plays but was scared by the microphone. In Music Therapy Ragini was given the opportunity to open up and show her true potential and was soon singing beautifully using a microphone. She has performed many times now, both solo and with a choir, which has really brought out her confidence and has been vital in building her self-esteem which was previously very low. She now even comments that she is ‘very proud’ of herself.
Ragini needed these specialist teaching methods that aren’t available in mainstream teaching to be able to learn due to her lack of concentration skills. She now has the opportunity to express herself through music and singing.
Music gives Ragini an outlet for her frustrations, lack of social understanding and processing of all that she has been through so far in her short life.
CONNECTING WITH THE WORLD
Ajay is 19 years old and autistic. He began music therapy over ten years ago, at a time when he was feeling isolated, unhappy, ‘living in his own world’ and uncomfortable with any verbal or music communication.
Gradually, he started to experiment with musical sounds and slowly allowed the therapist to join him in making music and began making eye contact – this sense of security gave Ajay self-confidence. He began to show a natural talent for music with an ability to create melodies and rhythms and play familiar tunes.
Ajay has gone on to learn to read music and performs confidently on the keyboard. Music enabled Ajay to find his own voice of expression, and start to enjoy life, and understand relationships through interactions, listening to another person, receiving information and building on it together. For the first time in his life, he has formed a strong bond with his brother, and they often like to ‘jam’ together.
