Resources & references

Read a thesis paper exploring the use of music therapy to target gross motor skills in young children with congenital blindness/visual impairments. Two case studies are presented, and five common themes are explained.

Watch how music therapy can support children, adolescents and their families in a pediatric hospital setting, and learn how music therapists contribute to interdisciplinary care teams.

This video showcases the Jared Kurtin Music Therapy Program at UCSF Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland, which is a clinical and evidence-based program for hospitalized infants, children and their families. This hospital is a leader in creative medical treatment options and has the first established pediatric music therapy program in the San Francisco Bay Area.

This chapter details a unique music therapy songwriting program, Hear Our Voices, and the songwriting process of the Little Saints, a group of “at-risk” fourth-, fifth-, and sixth-grade children in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The authors, who were also the music therapists working with this group, discuss the relevance of Hip-Hop culture, and its musical framework, to the music therapy process, and to the success of the program. 

Watch as a music therapist sings and plays a hello song for a child during an individual music therapy session.

Music therapists often begin sessions with a hello song and end them with a goodbye song. Read about the function of these songs to support music therapy goals with children.

Click here to see an example of a hello song in both French and English.

Music therapy is an ancient and yet very modern practice that has the power to heal and transform our brains and bodies in significant ways. Kathleen Howland, speech language and music therapist explains how music really does have the power to heal our brain and heart.

This article describes the ways music therapy has been applied to help children cope with anxiety related disorders

This video exposes a case study of a child who was born without eyes and has always feared medical procedures. She is enrolled in music therapy at the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s to decrease her anxiety.

This book chapter provides an overview of research on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs), descriptions of key components of resilience in child development and trauma-informed care, and recommendations for music therapists. How can music therapy foster resilience in children who have lived though adverse experiences? How can music therapists provide trauma-informed care to their most vulnerable clients?

This mixed-methods pilot study investigated whether nine Neurologic Music Therapy (NMT)® sessions via telehealth would improve motor and attention skills in autistic children. The improvements in motor skills and positive caregiver and therapist views of telehealth indicate that NMT motor interventions administered via telehealth are a promising avenue of therapeutic support for movement skill development in autistic children.

This article provides a review of current studies on music therapy interventions and children with acquired brain injury (ABI). The results explore the benefits of music therapy interventions, the use of music therapy as a motivator, and professional collaboration.