C&FD Occupational Therapy

The dial on your air conditioner might not be the only thing you want to turn up this summer.  Are you cooped up inside trying to beat the heat with your children while school is out? 

The multidisciplinary pediatric therapy team, including occupational therapy, physical therapy and speech therapy services, at Child & Family Development say turn on the music and turn up the volume! 

We all know that music can make us feel better and get us moving when we need a boost of energy, but did you know that research shows time and time again just how beneficial music can be?  Some studies have shown tha music can:

• Reduce anxiety
• Promote relaxation
• Distract patients
• Reduce stress
• Reduce pain
• Allow for physical and emotional comfort

You can learn more about this study and others here.  At Child and Family Development, our therapists often use music in our sessions, whether through trained programming such as Therapeutic Listening, The Listening Program or Interactive Metronome or even live streaming through Pandora or You Tube to motivate our clients to feel comfortable and work hard during their sessions!  Whether working for motivation, distracting from discomfort, promoting attention, or reducing anxiety, music might just be one of the most accessible therapy tools available.  Find what is motivating to your child and turn up the volume.  Some personal favorite stations on Pandora for my younger clients include: Laurie Berkner, Elizabeth Mitchell, and Walt Disney.  The variety keeps us interested and most of the songs are even enjoyable for me!  You might just find yourself singing along to anything from Sesame Street, Justin Bieber, Disney theme songs or Selena Gomez after the kids have gone to bed!