Music Therapy

Davis has been taking Music Therapy every week since his new therapy schedule started in August.  I mainly piled it on him because of a 30 minute gap that fell between Speech and OT, but it's actually turned out to be really helpful for him. 

What's the benefit of Music Therapy, you ask?  Well, I'll tell you...by stealing an explanation from the therapists' email...

"When you think about it, playing the piano really is a very challenging task. Not only is he having to sustain attention for a long duration of time, visually track the score, identify the letters and numbers, but he then has to transfer that information to the piano in finding the right letters on the piano, identifying the right finger number, and controlling his impulses enough to play only one key. It's a lot to ask, but embedded in this task are a ton of functional outcomes - in life we have to be able to multi-task, control our impulses, identify familiar objects, and sustain attention."

I don't know about y'all, but she sold me.

Anway, Davis will be performing in a Christmas Recital in a couple weeks, playing 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas' on the piano.  I sat in today to see how he's progressing and was pretty disappointed.  I don't know if it was exhaustion or nervousness, but he was acting out, not listening, and could barely play the song.  And I obviously haven't completely rid myself of the 'show your feelings all over your face' flaw because the therapist took time out of her afternoon to email me and assure me that today was not at all indicative of his ability to play the song and that he pulled himself together once I left.

I guess we'll see what happens.  I'm excited for it, either way.