Making Harmony: Music Therapy and Down Syndrome
Tell us about Sarina.
Sarina is 2 years young. We found out a month after birth that she has Down Syndrome.
Sarina started sessions with Accent Music Therapy about 6 weeks ago. We decided to pursue the program because our Speech and Language Pathologist (SLP) had mentioned the tremendous progress she has seen in children with Down Syndrome & Autism involved with Music Therapy at AMT. We figured well then, we SHOULD give it a go too as Sarina has some Speech, language & communication delay. We hoped to see some progress with these sessions.
We have seen much progress already in her little time so far. She communicates as instructed and has developed more vocally!
I feel she has developed a further sense of communication & speech in general for everyday. She will use her signs & speech to let us know what she needs, and she wasn’t doing this before she started with Accent Music Therapy. AMT sessions are a fun way to help Sarina develop. She sees an SLP now, but I can tell she finds these sessions less entertaining (I have to admit, I do too) and Bill really knows how to get Sarina involved and keeps her entertained while doing so. Even I have a good time sitting in on the sessions.
How do you feel about your experience to date with Accent Music Therapy?
I love it. I have no intentions on ending our sessions any time soon. I still remember the first session. I was so excited to call my husband right away to tell him how amazing it was, how much fun it was & how interested Sarina was. I have nothing but great things to say about AMT and Bill of course. Bill and I clicked right away, I knew he was a good guy and he is the type like one of those friends you can say you feel like you’ve known forever, although you’ve just met.
I had a stroke many years ago, in fact 13 ago. Back then I couldn’t talk and I couldn’t read and write either.
Today my writing and reading are reasonably good and my speech is a bit slow but I’m getting there year by year.
Back then my music was coming back as well. If a person’s speech is damaged by a stroke they learn to use music, like singing. I’m a member in 2 choirs in here in Burlington. How does music find a pathway inside a damaged brain that regular speech can’t negotiate.
I created sentences in rhythm to facilitate my speech. Before I couldn’t string simple sentences together.