I am currently a senior in the Occupational Therapy program. As I prepare to go out on fieldwork in the upcoming semesters, reflecting on how music relates to occupational therapy has had a benefit in my thinking of my future job. I have had the amazing opportunity to be working with children with disabilities for many years. Most of the children I have worked with have a diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder. Autism Spectrum Disorder is defined as, “a complex developmental disability; signs typically appear during early childhood and affect a person’s ability to communicate, and interact with others” (“About Autism | Autism Society" 1). Along with affecting communication and interaction, a lot of children have difficulty with the processing …show more content…
According to Doman and Lawrence, to complete the listening program, the child listens to the music 1 to 2 times a day for 15 minutes, 5 days a week, for eight to sixteen weeks. (1). The program was made with neuroplasticity in mind. This means, that when stimulated, neurons will branch out and create new connections. It allows sounds to be processed by the brain and improves the perception of the sounds. Communication skills will then improve with the increase in the processing of sound. When it comes to auditory hypersensitivity, the sound stimulation given through the program, allows, “the nervous system to better modulate sensory input” (Doman and Lawrence 2). When sensory input is modulated, it allows an individual to be comfortable in their environment. Children with Autism may not be comfortable in a crowded room because of the amount of auditory stimulation occurring. Using this program will allow the child to become more comfortable with auditory stimulation and will allow them to be in environments that they once felt uncomfortable
and intrigued by the mind-body connection as well as the importance of human activity and occupation in maintaining mental and physical well-being. At the same time, my desire to work directly with people and be able to make a positive and lasting change to their lives by empowering them and helping discover their strengths and confidence in themselves to achieve their goals, led me to a realization that a career in occupational therapy would be a perfect fit for me. To me occupational therapy is a dynamic, rewarding, challenging, and inspiring field where I can fully realize my skills and knowledge. Having always been a firm believer in the patient-centric approach, I am passionate about providing excellent service to patients by improving their performance, preventing illness and disability and promoting adaptation to life
. Another problem during the accreditation of Ayres work is she decided to use sensory integration as an isolated anomaly, rather than embedding it entirely in the context of Occupational therapy. Ayres main goals of her work was more based on what Occupational Therapy alone, can achieve, such as individuals can follow routines that are involved in daily life like, eating, sleeping getting ready, etc. Reseatchers trying to replicate the treatment developed a goal attainment scale, to help measure the effectiveness of studies. This was a breakthrough, allowing goals for the families and individuals and comparison across the wide array of people using this method.
My fieldwork instructor has advised me that I am doing great. I demonstrate effective communication, which is necessary to talk to nurses and certified nursing assistants. I was advised there is nothing that I should/could be doing differently now. An occupational therapy practitioner and cna both work on activities of daily living, self-care, and bathroom business.
The level interest in music among students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing varies as it does too for this with typical hearing. The author is speaking to everyone not just those who have hearing losses. The author is writing to those teachers who have students that have hearing losses. Darrow mentions in the article the importance of teaching students with hearing losses; and how it is possible to do, even though it can be difficult.
Life has its twists and turns, but my overall life goal is simple, help others. I want to make an impact on others life, even if it is a small change. For instance, being able to hold a pencil is the difference between a student being able to graduate from Kindergarten and not be able to continue on to first grade. Being a Pediatric occupational therapist will help me make an impact on children at a very young age. Even small changes can have a large impacts, which is why I want to be that change for others.
Prior to my junior year of high school, Occupational Therapy was foreign to me. I was on a field trip that year when I was first exposed to an Occupational Therapy session, and I was not sure what was taking place. However, I was certain that I was beyond intrigued and immediately wanted to learn more. After extensively searching for information and continuously exposing myself to opportunities of learning, I knew that pursuing a career in Occupational Therapy was my desire, and I would do whatever it took to be successful in fulfilling it.
Occupational therapy saved my family. Growing up with a sister with severe spastic cerebral palsy to include both cognitive and functional deficits, life existed on a day to day, hour by hour basis, as we were unsure of challenges each moment would bring. This all changed the moment occupational therapy brought quality of life back to me and my family. My very personal experience defined my purpose to become an occupational therapist, to pay the gift given my family forward.
I have always had the intense desire to care and look after people from a very young age. I firmly believe that everyone deserves the best quality of life possible and this is what had drawn me to occupational therapy as a career path in the first place. It is so easy to take for granted all the everyday tasks we can do and we seldom consider the effect of not being able to complete them. As an occupational therapist I would be able to make a positive impact on someone’s life and make it possible for them to enjoy their life. I want the opportunity to provide support to people, help them gain independence and watch them grow more confident in their own ability.
Volunteering at McKenna Farms Therapy Services I was able to observe pediatric occupational therapy sessions. Not only did I get to observe Occupational Therapy sessions, but I observed Hippotherapy sessions too. What I found so unique about McKenna Farms is that they had Speech Therapist, Physical Therapist, and Occupational Therapist all together at one clinic. This allowed me to witness how the different types of therapy fit together and how the therapist would collaborate to find the best way to treat the children. My favorite part was finding ways to communicate with the kids.
Becoming an occupational therapist is my passion and my long-term career goal. Since a young age I have been incredibly inspired and motivated to befriend and help disabled individuals. Having grown up with a disabled mother who benefited from the services of occupational therapy I had the opportunity to see first hand how the experience gave can give individuals like her fulfilling and productive lives. With both parents working as healthcare professionals, including my mother who is now an occupational therapist herself, I see every day how rewarding the field is. Through my life I have had unique personal, professional and educational experiences that have shaped me into a strong candidate for an advanced education in occupational therapy.
Music has been part of human civilization for thousands of years. It can be found in every known culture and elsewhere on earth. It is often defined that music is the universal language, given that all human being seems to like some kind of music. Many people listen to music for entertainment and relaxation, but some researches, with regards to music, have concluded that music can affect one’s cognitive ability and can provide our brains with environment which is favorable to many different things. This only explains that music can affect human in many different aspects.
“There is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and lets the future in” (Greene, 1904-1991). Music is essential to every person’s life and seems to be involved in every activity of a child’s life from the moment they wake until they go to bed. Recent studies have shown that music (listening and playing instruments) have many impacts on children, especially in early stages of development of the child’s “body, brain, and their emotion foundations that support us for the rest of our lives” (Borgese, n.d.). There are also many other factors that affect child development like type/genre of music both violent and nonviolent that may contribute or hinder the future child’s behavior. Different music can have different effects on people, people don’t absorb the effect of music the same way.
Music therapists play repetitive songs for the patients. The songs can vary from classical music (which is known to improve memory) to the patient’s favorite song. They can also play music that is associated with big events that took place in the patient’s life; this will enhance memories and it may be easier for the patient to sing or hum along and react to the music since they are already familiar with it. “A study by Johnson JK showed a significant improvement in the spatial-temporal task on the AD twin after listening to a piece of a piano sonata of Mozart in 1998” ( Johnson
Music therapy is the clinical use of music to achieve individual goals and improve relationships; it is also considered a form of Psychotherapy (Music Therapy Medicine). Melodies and harmonies are used to transport patients to new and safe places. The sweet rhythms brings peace and relaxation to stressed minds. Self-worth is found between each melodic note, and anxiety and depression are long forgotten. Memories that were once lost are now found, and medication is improved by this one simple healing tool.
Imagination can be developed when children are creating their own musical instruments as the child can discover the different sounds of different materials they use. Some children are appealed to music because of the variety of sounds the instruments can make. (Campbell et al, 2010). Music develops the artistic awareness, self-expression, self-growth, self-esteem and multicultural sensitivity which all forms part of the holistic development of the