Creative Arts Therapy

Music therapists are trained to work with your child and family and you don’t need to have any musical experience to participate. During a typical music therapy visit, a music therapist and your child may do different musical activities that could include singing, drawing or moving to music, playing musical instruments, writing music or lyrics or recording music.

How music therapy helps:

A music therapist can make an individual plan for your child based on what is needed. Your child’s nurse may recommend music therapy to help your child to:

• manage pain or anxiety
• gain a sense of control
• be creative
• feel comfortable, calm or relaxed
• focus attention on something else during a procedure
• express feelings, wants and needs
• connect with family and friends
• improve mood

Clinical studies have shown that music therapy has biological effects on patients, such as influencing:

• heart rate
• blood pressure
• respiration rate
• cardiac output
• muscle tone
• skin responses
• immune system
• endorphin production