[Peggy Grace]

When I was attending college, one of my practicums was at the local hospital working with premature infants in the NICU. We did a multi-modal technique paired with humming to help reduce their anxiety and study if the music was effective in supporting their development. You could usually see how their affect relaxed.

One of the most memorable pt.’s of this age range that I worked with was born with multiple health needs, mostly heart and respiratory issues. I began with soft humming followed by singing then paired with guitar accompaniment. Her 02 saturation rate always increased while her heart rate went down. Her care giver also noted how she responded to the music and that it was beneficial with increasing her comfort level.

Some of the young patients that I have worked with have siblings close to the same age. They usually will start to smile, move and I usually include them in the sessions. If there is one thing I have learned when working with children 0-9, they respond to music within their functional limits.

[Peggy Grace]

I think that community-based music therapy programs are very beneficial in a variety of ways.

First of all, it is a way to reach out to various populations in the community. I especially think of low income families who may not have access to private sessions. Many cannot drive long distances where services are held, but a community-based program could offer a viable alternative so that children from all walks of life are included.

One example I think of is one of MT’s who works solely in our Hope For Kids program. Many of her patients are home-based, but she is also able to provide services through our agency at local schools at no cost to the school. These are mostly children with special needs and/or life-threatening illnesses. Like other participants have stated, I would also include schools as a potential community-based setting.

I can also potential for groups for persons with Parkinson’s disease, nursing homes and also churches where music therapy could be an effective tool for community out reach

I have found in my own practice that community presentations and in-services are crucial for educating the public about music therapy, and this in turn can result in community-based programs. There is so much potential for making sure that folks from all walks of life have the opportunity to engage in music.

[Peggy Grace]

As I mentioned in a previous post, I work with many special needs patients, in addition to a large migrant farming community. Most of the families, not all, are low income, so making financial needs met is always a challenge. The children usual have several specialist involved in their care, so having access to their healthcare needs can be challenging in terms of distance. Most have to drive either to West Palm Beach or even as far as Miami to receive care. In addition, the parents still have to work and care for other children in the family. Their needs are financial, sometimes transportation and obviously health. The program that I work under called Hope Kids Care brings their needs to them including, social work, nursing, art and music therapy, and helps collaborates with other agencies so that some of these needs can be met, or at least assist with finding access to community resources.

[Peggy Grace]

I think that Music therapists bring a level of expertise that is unmatched in other disciplines. Not only do we have to have musical knowledge and skills, but we also require knowledge with the specific populations that we work with. Being able to combine the music with the knowledge of that population gives us a unique opportunity to take therapy to a whole new level. When you add this along with the fact that music is fun and a tremendous bonding experience, music therapists can have a deep impact on the families in ways that they may not even be aware.

[Peggy Grace]

Since most of the children I work with are developmentally delayed, the developmental stages are either stagnant or lagging as compared to typical development. However, one of my patients, a child with cerebral palsy and cognitively delayed, recently began to play small instruments independently without moms assistance and more purposely. I have worked with this child for several years now and any progress is slow and there can be long intervals between developmental changes, but this was an important milestone for her. She still requires assistance with playing, but I can see that she is trying to be more independent in her musical experiences.

[Peggy Grace]

The most valuable take away for me was how to reassure parents/caregivers about the various developmental stages children experience and helping them understand those developmental markers. It was also very helpful to re-learn these concepts, and to be aware of any delays in development. Another important take away for me was understanding, not just the physical development, but also the emotional and cognitive development. This is crucial when working with children in a group setting.

Peggy Grace

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