Music therapy improves social skills of autistic children
- By Wu Jin
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E-mail China.org.cn, April 8, 2016
Music has been discovered to be an effective therapy in improving the symptoms of autistic children, Li Huayu, a music therapist at Beijing Bo'ai Hospital, said in a recent interview with China.org.cn.
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Li Huayu, a music therapist for autistic children, sings a song with her guitar to an autistic child. [Photo by Wu Jin / China.org.cn] |
In a recent publication focusing on a single autistic boy who made progress after receiving music therapy, Li wrote that music is a tool that can be used to improve the social defects of autistic children.
Jun Jun, the boy in Li's paper, is a five-year old who received music therapy more than two years ago. Upon first arriving at the music room in the hospital's rehabilitation center, he didn't pay any attention to the instructions from the therapists and refused to communicate. But after receiving music therapy in 30-minute sessions three to five times per week, the boy eventually began to interact with others and to sing a number of songs.
"Interdisciplinary treatment consisting of medical intervention and music therapy can offer an approach to build a connection between children and the external world," Li said.
"They'll choose to listen, to be creative, and to sing with the music," Li said. "When using music therapy, we inspire the children to touch, listen, see, and recognize their surroundings."
Li has a master's degree in music therapy from the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing. "I feel so happy to find that my skills are useful to a group of people," Li said. "We shouldn't ask too much of patients. On contrary, we should be satisfied with every step of progress they make."
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