This is Cool! Music Therapy Prog. report

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
This is Cool! Music Therapy Prog. report
7
Sat, 08-05-2006 - 12:03am

I recieved music therapy reports for Cait and Mike today to try and get Regional center to continue funding it.

The absolute best thing in the report was when it mentioned that Mike had a great deal of difficulty following verbal directions (and here is the good part) BUT was able to follow directions presented musically with 100% accuracy!!!!!!!!!

The MT was telling me about some examples from today separately and he was following some pretty long sequences when they are presented with music, sung, etc. Just really nice to know something is working. I always knew this kid had a thing for music and his ears just worked REALLY differently.

It makes sense because he did real well with the listening program and he has always had a fantastic ear for music. This is a kid who can pick out instruments in music but has to put on the closed captions to watch TV. It is just really nice to know something that Might help!!!!

Time to go practice my singing (mee mee mee mee mee.....) "Mike, ohhhhhh Mike, it is time to clean your roommmmmmmm"

Renee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-03-2004
Sat, 08-05-2006 - 5:24am

Dear Renee,

Very cool! And yes, could be useful in thinking of future ways to work with Mike, yes?

This is similar in Malcolm. He does struggle with verbal instructions, but we often sing back and forth to each other with great results. Malcolm is gifted musically. too.

Yesterday at last day of ESY, Malcolm was singing with his friend Frank, a grownup professional musician, kinda rough gruff Kris Kristofferson-type guitarist singer, and Malcolm was jazz-riffing around the song Frank was playing and singing. Stunning!

And those idiot teachers had their mouths open. "We didn't know Malcolm could sing like that!" How is that possible? They've only had him since Feb.!!! Don't even get me started.

Sara

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-11-2003
Sat, 08-05-2006 - 7:58am

lol @ your singing. That's great news. ++++++++++++++they continue to fund it!

Samantha

Samantha
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 08-05-2006 - 10:43am

That's awesome news! Truly amazing! Long may this program live (and be funded)!

Has Mike or Cait ever taken individual instrument lessons? Like guitar or piano? Just curious how they did with it (if they have). I am definitely getting Vaughn into the regular music therapy (I haven't decided if it will be individual or group.....probably start with individual)......but we have often thought about guitar or piano lessons.....still considering.

Just curious......

Christie

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sat, 08-05-2006 - 7:10pm

Nope, no individual lessons but we are a pretty musically influenced family. Again, it is a matter of cost. I have looked into it and music lessons per month for 1 child is $125. Doesn't sound bad but with 4 kids that is $500 (and they could all use it) add onto that all the extra autism costs and regular family costs and it just isn't in the books yet.

I cant wait until I finish my degree. Caught me on a bad financial day. I can't afford to continue MT without the funding but I really think it will be so helpful. We have car issues going on. We have my minivan (which rots and is always having some problem but isn't that old. Darn Fords), my husband has my mom's 12yo honda with nearly 200,000miles and we have an old pickup. We have to get a new car because of how much gasand repairs my van is costing us and how much DH drives. The honda can't handle it much longer. So we are getting rid of the pick up, garaging the van unless we are taking a family trip and I get to drive the old honda and DH is getting a 2yo corrolla for a commuter car. I just got the bill to fix yet another problem on my van and do a whole bunch of maintanance and fixes on the honda. $1000+ and that is just for the neccessary stuff that has to be done NOW. There is still about another 600-800 that will need to be done within the next few months.

LOL, thanks for letting me bitch. Now I have to go mow the lawn with the lawnmower that is 10yo and keeps breaking down this year too. GRRRRRRRR.

Renee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 08-26-2005
Sat, 08-05-2006 - 11:59pm
Renee,
WOW, thats pretty amazing and it's got me wondering if it would work for Jake. The only thing is anytime we sing he tells us to stop. I'm not sure if it's our singing or something related to his sensory issues.
Teresa
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Sun, 08-06-2006 - 12:13am

Mike actually did this too. I love to sing and anytime I would sing with the music on the radio he would really yell at me to stop. He has gotten some better with age about it and will sing with me at church.

It isn't bad if I sing and play guitar or just sing at least not anymore. But he definitely didn't like when I sang with the radio. I think he has a really good ear and it just didn't sound right to him.

He is ok with my singing now, but once my brother started singing something joking around and Mike hated it. My brother has a very deep voice.

I think it might be an oversensitive thing.

Ya know what really cracks me up. Mike's music therapist is asian with a fairly thick accent. I sometimes have a hard time understanding her. When I first met her I thought for SURE this was going to be a problem. Mike hates accents because it is even harder for him to understand. He loves Brenda, Go figure.

Renee

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iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Sun, 08-06-2006 - 1:34am

Hey Renee,


You may or may not remember me - I pop in every once in awhile!


The listening program you're talking about that Mike did well on prior to the music therapy...Was that Tomatis?

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