Music therapy can be a wonderful way to help neurodivergent children in their journey of self-discovery and development. Music therapy is used to help people with mental illness and other disorders, but it can also be used as an effective treatment for neurodivergent children.

However, there are several things you should consider before you begin using music therapy in your child's life. These include what kind of music helps them most, how long they should listen to the music for maximum benefit, and what kind of instruments or sounds they prefer over others. There are a few ways that you can take advantage of this natural healing power in your home without having to spend money on classes or sessions at the therapist's office:

What is neurodiversity?

Neurodiversity refers to the natural human diversity of thought and behaviour. It is a term that describes differences in the ways people think, communicate and interact with the world around them, such as those on the autism spectrum. Neurodiversity is not a disorder or problem to be solved; it’s simply part of what makes us human. There are many individual variations within neurodiverse communities just as there are within non-neurodiverse communities, which means that each person will possess unique strengths and weaknesses.

People with neurodivergent brains may have trouble interpreting sensory input from their environment due to differences in perception or processing speed between their brains and those without these conditions—a condition known as Sensory Processing Disorder (SPD). They may also have difficulty communicating verbally due to processing speed issues or poor motor skills such as fidgeting or repetitive movements like rocking back and forth in their seats during class time at school. For example: A child who has difficulty hearing when someone speaks might rock back on his chair instead of answering correctly when asked his name by his teacher, whereas another child might hear her name perfectly well but amble over slowly before responding because she finds herself enthralled by everything else going on around her while being called up by her name—which wouldn't seem odd if everyone else was paying attention too!

All neurodivergent children are different.

We know that not all neurodivergent children learn in the same way, and this is why it's important to develop a personalized learning process for each child. In general, you can expect each child to have different physical barriers to learning and be affected by them in different ways. Some children might struggle with fine motor skills or auditory processing challenges; others may have trouble with visual perception issues or executive function deficits. They will also likely have differing storage constraints: some children's short-term memory might be exceedingly limited while others have an abundance of information they need to keep track of over time.

All these factors mean that one size does not fit all when it comes to music therapy programs or any other learning process for neurodivergent children! You'll need to customize your approach based on the unique needs of each individual child.

Different children may have different learning styles.

It's important to understand that different children have different learning styles. Some children learn better by listening, some by reading, some by doing and watching and some by doing and listening. The more you know about your child’s preferred way of learning, the more effective your lessons will be for them.

Different children have different physical barriers to learning.

One of the biggest barriers to learning is the lack of physical activity. With more than one in five children in the U.S. considered obese (20%), it's no wonder that so many kids have trouble focusing and paying attention in class.

So what are some things you can do to get more active? It all starts with being aware of how much time your child spends sitting. If you're like most parents, you probably have no idea how much time your child is spending in front of a screen. Here are some tips for making sure that your family gets enough activity:

-Make sure that kids have plenty of opportunities to run around and play outside every day. It's never too late to start!

-Encourage kids to participate in sports or other activities that involve movement (like dance).

-Talk with a pediatrician or other healthcare professional about what physical activity is appropriate for your child’s age and ability level.

Some children cannot access traditional resources and support.

If you’re a parent, you know that the world is not always an easy place for your children. You want them to have every opportunity to succeed in school and in life, but sometimes they face barriers that prevent them from accessing traditional resources and support. These barriers may be physical or mental, but either way, they can be devastating to your child’s future.

Different children may have different storage constraints.

Different children may have different storage constraints. Some might have a hard time storing information, while others have a hard time remembering things. Still, others may have trouble learning new things or retaining the information they've already learned.

Some children are neurodivergent, which means that the way their brains work is different than other people's (whose brains are considered neurotypical). For example, some people with autism aren't very good at recognizing faces or voices; they don't pay attention to fine details in their surroundings; and they prefer routine to surprises. Other people with autism have trouble understanding humour and sarcasm; some can't read social cues very well either—they'll say something inappropriate without realizing it because they didn't take into account how other people would react to what was said!

Because of these differences in how we process sensory input from the world around us—the sights we see and hear every day—there are several benefits that come from music therapy sessions aimed specifically at neurodivergent children:

It's all about the child.

Music therapy is a process of self-discovery. In music therapy, you are there to help a child find his or her own voice, rhythm and melody. Whether the kid is an autistic teenager who loves singing along with Bob Marley songs or an angry ten-year-old with ADHD who wants to create electronic music using apps on their iPad, you're helping them make art that's authentic to them.

The child should be the focal point in any music therapy session. It's easy for this kind of thing to happen if you aren't careful: You might start thinking about how cool it would be if the kid wanted to learn guitar because then they could play some of their favourite songs together at school talent shows (that would make everyone happy!). But if that's what matters most here—if all we care about is whether or not people will like our work—then why even bother giving ourselves over completely? We needn't worry about our own egos when working with children; instead, we should focus on helping them discover their own unique passions so they can use those passions as inspiration when creating new pieces of art.

Research suggests that the brains of neurodivergent children are more flexible than expected and can be better used for learning.

Research suggests that the brains of neurodivergent children are more flexible than expected and can be better used for learning. A recent study found that children with ADHD show increased brain activity in response to music, even when they're not listening to it—the same thing happens with other stimuli. Another study found that autistic children show decreased brain activity in response to sounds from the environment, but increased activity in response to music or speech.

These findings suggest that neurodiverse children have brains that are more flexible than expected and can be better used for learning. Brain plasticity refers to this ability of the brain to change in response to experiences, whereas neuroplasticity refers indirectly by describing how neural networks in the brain form new connections throughout a person's life span (including during childhood).

Music therapy helps with social development, promotes healthy sleep patterns and improves mood.

Music therapy is a great way to improve social skills, which are often a challenge for neurodivergent children. Music therapy has been shown to help with social development and communication, as well as promoting healthy sleep patterns and improving mood.

A regularly scheduled music therapy program can help a child experience a sense of accomplishment over time.

Music therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses the power of music to help individuals cope with illness, injury or disability. Music therapists teach children how to use music in their everyday lives.

A regularly scheduled music therapy program can help a child feel more confident by increasing self-esteem and reducing anxiety and depression.
A regularly scheduled music therapy program can help a child feel more connected to their environment by getting them involved in activities outside of their home, such as art projects.
A regularly scheduled music therapy program can help a child feel more motivated to learn new things when it comes from a source they enjoy (e.g., singing along with songs on YouTube).
A regularly scheduled music therapy program can help a child feel more capable by giving them something productive or enjoyable to work on every day (e.g., learning how to play guitar chords).

Music therapy uses musical experiences and the relationships that develop through them to enable communication and expression, thus attempting to address some of the core problems of people with ASD.

The results of this updated analysis offer proof that music therapy may benefit kids with ASD in areas including social interaction, verbal communication, initiating behaviour, and social-emotional reciprocity, which are the major outcome areas that make up the condition's core. Within the context of therapy, music therapy may also aid in improving nonverbal communication abilities.

Additionally, music therapy may improve parent-child connections and help children with ASD become more adept at adjusting to social situations in secondary outcome areas.

If a child is experiencing social, cognitive or neurological deficits, music therapy may help to improve his/her quality of life by enhancing brain function and/or by helping develop functional skills.

Music therapy may help to improve the quality of life for children with social, cognitive or neurological deficits. Music therapy can enhance brain function and/or help develop functional skills.

Music is a universal language that has no boundaries or limitations; it is free from discrimination or bias; there are no wrong notes or rhythms to music. Music provides a safe place where all children are equal and accepted for who they are regardless of their differences.

Conclusion

Music therapy is a great way for children with neurodivergence to learn. It can help them learn communication skills, build cognitive abilities and gain confidence. Music therapy can also help create a soothing environment for your child if they have anxiety or depression.

Resources

Treating Autism: Music Therapy

Harvard Medical School - What is neurodiversity?

Brain Changes in Autism Are Far More Extensive Than Previously Known

Music therapy for people with autism spectrum disorder

Neurodivergent Children and The Benefits of Music Therapy