Pediatric Music Therapy

This book includes relevant medical, psychological, and developmental information to help service providers and parents to understand children with disabilities. While the primary emphasis of the book is to provide information needed by music therapists to understand the characteristics of children referred for music therapy, it also will be of interest to special educators, school administrators, psychologists, physicians and other medical personnel, and parents. Since most children are served in public schools, they must have an Individualized Education Plan (IEP). The first two chapters describe the process of assessment and delineation of goals in music therapy, which leads to the design of the music therapy portion of the IEP or care plan. Subsequent evaluation allows progress to be stated objectively. The remaining chapters describe each population of children to be served, with emphasis on medical and psychological characteristics unique to each population, and specific goals and procedures to be used in music therapy. The CAMEOS model is used in this book to address the child’s Communication, Aca-demic, Motor, Emotional, Organizational, and Social needs and ways these may be addressed through music therapy. Whether the child is homebound, included in regular classes, seen in a resource room or special education program, or in hospital care, he/she has needs that can be described within the CAMEOS model. Music therapy may provide service in each of these areas. Since music therapists must coordinate their services with all others who provide medical, psychological, and educational programs for the child, a common understanding of the child is needed. This is addressed in a manner that will be useful to all personnel working with children with disabilities.