Communications innately occurs, and is learned early in life. A baby discovers that crying brings food, nuture, and comfort. Multiple sources of consistent researcher findings suggest that the first three years of life are critical to brain development.

More exposure to sights and sounds helps develop speech and language. Delays in communication skills may increase social and cognitive risks.      

Speech is verbal communication including articulation, voice, and fluency. Language is a set of shared rules to articulate meaning/thoughts.

Children with delayed speech and language development may have difficulties understanding words and sounds (receptive language) and/or the ability to use speech and gestures (expressive language).

Music and language share infinite similarities. For example, they both have:

• pitch, timbre, rhythm, and tempo.
• auditory, vocal, and visual uses.
• structure and rule.
• cultural existence and variance.

With the dramatic similarities, a combined musical and speech therapy approach can help improve communication skills.

Science suggests speech is controlled by the left brain, and music is processed in both hemispheres. This suggests that speech may be better understood if sung. Not only does music calm and sooth the child (creating a willingness and openness to learn), the musical approach connects the words and reinforces flow – likely bettering the chances of the message being understood.

Accent Music Therapy (AMT) is proud to announce that it will be sharing its new Burlington office space at 980 Fraser Dr. with Little Talkers, a private speech and language clinic directed by Speech & Language Pathologist, Michelle Bodo. In the Fall, AMT and Little Talkers will jointly offer Music Therapy and SLP sessions and groups. Contact AMT or Little Talkers to register for our September Speak & Sing group.