Did You Know?

Music therapy has been shown to help in the healing process of a variety of ailments or conditions, be they physical or mental. Researchers at the Institute for Music Therapy in Germany, for instance, studied the effects of music therapy when used to treat children with developmental delay. Researchers studied a group of 12 children between 4 and 6.5 years of age with developmental ages between 1 to 3.5 years. They were able to note the effects of musical therapy on the childrens' development, which showed significant improvements, including better hearing and speech and improved hand-eye coordination in the children after exposure to the therapy. Music therapy has also proven effective in treating depression in older patients. A study by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine concluded that music therapy showed great potential as a beneficial intervention for homebound elderly people who have limited access to healthcare professionals.