Sometimes children get to stages in therapy where there is no outward movement forward. However, these times are extremely important. These are times of inward movement, or processing. A therapist or teacher needs to watch the finer details in order to recognize this when it is happening. Signs to watch for include posture, facial expression,… Read more »

This year my two sons were in their freshman year of college and junior year in high school, respectively. Two boys, who chances are, may one day be household heads. You could say the dominating terms in our household at this time were (are) “college” and “job market”. I was havng a conversation with one… Read more »

This week I had observed something after one of my sessions that I have witnessed many times before. As I talked with a parent about her child, we talked about some of the things others may consider self-stimulatory behaviors. However, this mom was watching and trying to figure out what exactly was going on. She… Read more »

I personally have difficulty using behavioral therapies as the “proven” therapies to use for a child who does not have a behavioral problem but rather has a neurological one. I recently saw a video put out by Dr. John Carpente of Molloy College on DIR Floortime and “Play”. Check out this DIR/Floortime Research…thanks Carol Ann LoPinto Blank for sharing this…http://www.cbc.ca/video/#/News/TV_Shows/The_National/1233408557/ID=2220343281…. Read more »

I had a very exciting session with a non-verbal client this week. He demonstrated to me that he was consciously beginning to learn how to use his voice when he wanted. After last week’s blog about signs of speech, I thought a depiction of this would be appropriate. Frankie is an eight year old non-verbal autistic child. I… Read more »

I recently worked with a couple of non-verbal autistic boys who were having wonderful sessions. The very next day I ran across an article online by Margaret A Fish, MS,CCC-SLP. The article was entitled Development In Children With Severe Childhood Apraxia Of Speech – www.pediastaff.com. Later that day, a mother of a Downs Syndrome son… Read more »

This week as I was working with a group of emotionally disturbed adolescents, I was amazed to watch this group of boys, who seemingly easily set each other off, eagerly choose instruments and begin to work together. None of these boys have any musical training, but as they chose their instruments I began a very loosely structured… Read more »

This week a private, non-verbal client walked out of my Music Therapy room and told his mother, “Ready”. The TSS worker of another non-verbal autistic client told me the most words her client speaks come out (pop out words) during his Occupational Therapy sessions. When do you feel most alert? When are you most motivated… Read more »

I have written numerous times about using “stim” behaviors in autistic children as learning tools. However this blog is referring to having a Music Therapy Practice in an area where Music Therapy appears to be a new concept. I recently attended an IEP meeting where it was suggested that if the parents were interested in music for… Read more »