Pediatric music therapy is often utilized to treat children with medical needs such as
injuries, infections, brain injuries, and cancer. Cancer in children is not always the same as in
adults. Often children who have cancer develop it from an inherited mutation. Common types of cancers that children inherit or develop are:
Leukemia
Brain and spinal cord tumors
Neuroblastoma
Wilms tumor
Lymphoma (including both Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin)
Rhabdomyosarcoma
Retinoblastoma
Bone cancer (including osteosarcoma and Ewing sarcoma)
(Cancer.org)
Pediatric music therapy utilizes music and the therapeutic relationship to encourage healthy
coping skills and protects the psychosocial well-being of the child. Common goals music
therapy aims to focus on are:
Decreased pain perception
Reduced anxiety
Emotional processing/expression
Development of positive coping skills
Increase sensory stimulation
Increased social interaction
Procedural & bereavement support
(music therapy.org)
Some common interventions that are beneficial for children are active music engagement,
music-assisted relaxation, music-alternate engagement, music listening, music-facilitated
dramatic play, therapeutic singing, therapeutic music instruction, songwriting, and recording
projects. However, the treatment intervention used may be different for each client
depending on their goals and needs during the session. Music therapy is a flexible practice
that uses various music interventions to address specific goals depending on the needs of
clients, especially children with cancer.
Interested in trying music therapy? Register today!
Written by Emily Sturgeon, Music Therapy Intern
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