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March 2006
 Music... Therapy! Part 3
Mrs. Donna - North Canton
 Are we BLESSED! In this issue, WeJoySing parents of children with special needs share the benefits they have found in our Heart Strings program and individual Music Therapy services.
Our Heart Strings program is designed to provide social interaction and typical role models for children with special needs. It is not intended to replace individual therapy, which focuses on specific skill goals, but rather to complement it. Activities learned in Heart Strings are often found to make daily, therapeutic exercise routines easier for both the child and the parents.
Pediatrician and parent Dr. Jennifer Kungle, M.D., agrees. “My daughter’s therapy exercises were difficult for us to get through at home, until we began using the HeartStrings songs. When I sang, ‘I am swinging, swinging, swinging....’ suddenly she’d let me help her with her stretches because it was fun!”
Beth Householder has participated in HeartStrings classes and has also observed music therapy in her home. When her son Matthew was an infant, he would sit in her lap at HeartStrings, but over time it became increasingly difficult for him to focus in a social setting. When Matthew was diagnosed with autism, Beth made music therapy a priority. “The one-on-one sessions with Mrs. Jenny are one of the most beneficial of all of his therapies,” she says. “Now, Matthew (age 5 ½ ) will sing with Mrs. Jenny for 45 minutes. His attention span has increased; it’s helped with his speech and language development and with socialization. Matthew lights up when Mrs. Jenny comes, and he loves to sing as she plays ‘Lady, Lady’ on her guitar.”
 Two and a half-year-old Sam’s parents recall that when he was diagnosed with mild autism, he was unaware of his hands. Singing WeJoySing’s hello and goodbye songs helped him to understand and use coordinating hand movements. Also, as Sam’s WeJoySing therapist was singing through the “Brown Bear” book, he labeled “red bird.” Sam had never strung two words together, though it had been defined as a goal.
Lauren has Cerebral Palsy. Though she can’t do gymnastics or karate like her siblings, her parents wanted a program that would help her developmentally. “Her music class is her own,” notes Lauren’s mother, Gina. “She thrives there and really enjoys the interaction with peers that aren’t her siblings. Don't tell her this, but during this class, she gets a little bit of physical and occupational therapy which is so critical for her during this time in her life.”
Sharon and Mike Stone are parents of Emma, who has Down Syndrome. “‘Heart Strings’ was Emma’s first experience with music in an organized group,” recalls Sharon. “I was very excited when she began recognizing the songs and putting movements to them. We often used WeJoySing songs for Emma’s therapy.” Emma’s service coordinator was so impressed by the WeJoySing program that she referred others to it. Sharon adds, “Emma’s experience with WeJoySing as a toddler gave her a foundation and love of music that she will always have. It was a blessing for Emma to be accepted into a program with typical peers who could help her learn.”
If someone you love could benefit from WeJoySing’s JOYFUL, PLAYFUL, music therapy services or from HeartStrings as an enhancement to therapy, please contact our office at (614) 868-0107, or outside the Columbus area, call toll free: 1-877-299-8138.
A Note From Mrs. Jo
A big thank you goes to the families who gave their input for this article (some names have been changed to honor our clients’ privacy). Also, many thanks to Jenny Bunnell, MT-BC, for her professional expertise throughout this series and with her WeJoySing families. Music is truly an instrument of healing.
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