How much stimulation is enough?

[Julie Palmieri]

How much stimulation is enough?

How much stimulation is too much?

[Katelyn Caruso]

This is a huge part of our job as music therapists, to determine if our music experiences are stimulating enough or too stimulating. Being stimulating enough might mean that the child is watching, participating, creating, or acting independently or in the group. Overstimulating might be crying, retreating to the caregiver, physically going somewhere else in the room, or zoning out. As a person who is easily overstimulated by noise and physical sensations myself, I know there is a fine line between just the right amount of stimulation and being pushed over the edge. Every child will be different and interact with stimulation and overstimulation in their own way. Things like starting slow and building on a song or music experience can allow us to watch each child’s reaction and visually check in with how they are doing before adding another element. I also think it is important to note that being overstimulated by one thing on one day doesn’t mean it will always be overstimulating and that factors outside the music room might play into what they are or aren’t interested in that day.

[Kimberly Werner]

I really appreciate this: “I also think it is important to note that being overstimulated by one thing on one day doesn’t mean it will always be overstimulating and that factors outside the music room might play into what they are or aren’t interested in that day.” This is so true. You can never make assumptions on how someone’s going to present. Just as soon as you think you’ve got someone figured out, they switch it up on you and you have to toss your assumptions out the window!

[Kimberly Werner]

Depending on the age and neurodevelopmental level of the child, different behaviors can be observed. Crying, turning red, grimacing, “possoming” (I don’t know if this is a real term, but it’s what I call it when they curl up and tuck themselves into a protective ball), yawning, sneezing, an exaggerated startle response, and extreme fussiness can all be signs of overstimulation. Understimulation can look like crying, indifference, and lack of engagement in the environment.

Because babies are developing rapidly at this stage, it’s important to be mindful about offering a balance of repetition and novelty to encourage interest while also providing enough familiarity to feel secure.

[Melissa Neitzel]

Overstimulation and under stimulation are relative to the individual and it depends on their age, development, and environment. A child who is stimulated enough is engaged – whether it’s through instrument play or focus. When stimulation is too much, the child may cry, cover their ears, walk away (not the exploration kind- the turn away and not return kind). I think about stimulation in terms of previous trainings I’ve had. You can always slowly add on stimulation, noting each child’s response. If it’s enough- great! If it’s too much- back off, if it’s not enough- add some more!

[Erika (TeamRH)]

If anyone is looking for more information and/or training on sensory processing the STAR Institute in Colorado is a fantastic resource. I have found learning from them has given me more tools and insight into assessing stimulation and regulation within the human body.
https://sensoryhealth.org/

[Kimberly Werner]

This is a great resource – thank you for sharing!

[Christine Wick]

Love STAR institute! They have such awesome resources thanks for posting!

[Leslie Aldrich]

For this age group, it seems like a great time to add elements of surprise to your songs. Like AJ gave in his “come and sit with me” song example. The surprises aren’t scary, but just enough stimulation to be intriguing and different for the children to start processing that. I think it would be important to be very observant of the kids in your session. Watching for signs that the stimulation is too much so you can adjust for them.

[Christine Wick]

It depends from child to child and can change from moment to moment/session to session. As MT’s we all know to be extremely intentional and mindful with our choices, constantly assessing and observing throughout. Along with the music, there’s the added layer too of meeting a new face. A sound or song that wasn’t overstimulating before may be overstimulating now coming from a stranger if it’s your first time in their space.

[Maggie Johnson]

I learned a sensory processing model that had regulation before integration, discrimination, and motor planning. Children can be over/under responsive, sensory seeking, have deficits in discrimination or a combination of one or more of these variations. For example a child may exhibit tactile defensiveness when encountering the texture of an instrument, they may be sensory seeking in the proprioceptive and craving active movement or physical resistance, they may have a combination of over and under-responsive auditory sense that changes depending on the situation, they may have an under-responsive vestibular sense and not notice changes in positioning or movement, they may have a visual discrimination deficit such as poor depth perception. All children lay somewhere on these spectrums at any given time so it’s important to handle sensory stimuli on an individual (or particular group) basis and get in the moment with them. I’m guessing a lot of us have seen or been a part of overstimulating music environments. Perhaps when we were young ourselves, or taking someone to a children’s concert etc. It’s important to observe responses and communicate with parents about what you are seeing as they may be able to relate their interpretations. We can anticipate and respond to children’s sensory needs in class by noting how they interact with the experience and watch how they co-regulate with their caregiver. I see many above have mentioned taking things one at a time and adding on or backing off and I tend rely on that method when facilitating and turn that sense up especially high when I don’t know a child/client very well. One thing I love about being a music therapist, is that if someone does become overstimulated, you can also respond and help them see it through to increased regulation/co-regulation and not just immediately have to have them abandon the group/session forever.

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