The Music Initiative: Children with Special Needs

A guide for parents, The Music Initiative for Children with Special Needs provides simple music-therapy Based activities for children diagnosed with mild to moderate intellectual and developmental disabilities. All the activities presented in this book are also appropriate for children without special needs. This guide is designed to present a basic experience with music and music therapy-based activities. The benefits of music therapy are vast. Using the tools provided here your child will begin to work on increasing and/or improving communication and motor skills, learning appropriate social skills, creating bonds, and developing creativity and musical skills. They may be utilized as an outlet for emotional expression and to build self-esteem.

A guide for parents, The Music Initiative for Children with Special Needs provides simple music-therapy Based activities for children diagnosed with mild to moderate intellectual and developmental disabilities. All the activities presented in this book are also appropriate for children without special needs. This guide is designed to present a basic experience with music and music therapy-based activities. The benefits of music therapy are vast. Using the tools provided here your child will begin to work on increasing and/or improving communication and motor skills, learning appropriate social skills, creating bonds, and developing creativity and musical skills. They may be utilized as an outlet for emotional expression and to build self-esteem. As a parent or relative of a child with additional needs you have firsthand knowledge about how difficult getting that news can be. This guide was created to help open the door to allowing your child to meet their full potential. Music is literally a language of the universe. It winds its way into our brains in a way completely different than speech or any other form of communication. It activates areas of the brain that deal with emotions, language and even motor control. It's remarkable to see a child unable to communicate with words, suddenly be able to express themselves and make identifications through the use of simple music. With The Music Initiative you're not just opening a new line of communication between you and your child. You're opening the doorway for a world of interaction through music that may have been locked away, hidden just waiting to be unleashed into the world. Music may very well be the key that unlocks their potential and allows them to come fully into their capability as a human being. No matter what's been holding them back, whether that be bullying, relating to other family members or siblings, learning social skills that will help them navigate the world outside your home - using music as the "instrument" you will build the foundation for them to realize their dreams. Take the next step and unlock your child's potential today, right now - with The Music Initiative and see what they have on the inside just waiting to delight you.

Erin Haley is a board-certified music therapist. She received her bachelor’s degree in Psychology, with a minor in Music from California State University, Chico, and her Masters degree in Music Therapy from University of the Pacific, in Stockton, California. She has completed training in Neurologic Music Therapy in Denver, Colorado. Prior to college, she earned a Musical Theatre Conservatory certificate of completion from the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, in New York. Erin has worked with numerous populations, including individuals of all ages with intellectual and physical disabilities; adults with Alzheimer’s disease, children and adults with terminal illness, and in hospice. She is currently a program director and music therapist at Arts and Services for Disabled, Inc. based in Long Beach, California. In her down time she enjoys playing guitar and singing in her band, Blue Comet.