The Application of Music Therapy in Working with Children with Developmental Disabilities

In a time when an increasing number of children with developmental difficulties are being included in mainstream education, there arises a need for approaches that support their individual development. One of the most natural, creative, and encouraging methods is – music therapy. This therapeutic approach uses the universal language of music to stimulate emotional, social, and cognitive functions in children, regardless of their difficulties.

Unlike music educators, who work with children for educational purposes, music therapists use music as a therapeutic tool. Their goal is to help individuals express emotions, communicate, and grow within their own abilities. Music therapists work individually or in groups, and their expertise must be supported by medical or pedagogical education, along with additional training in music therapy.

In practice, music therapy is divided into two main methods:

• Active music therapy involves the child participating in playing instruments, singing, or improvisation. The child actively creates sound and uses music for expression.

• Receptive music therapy is based on listening to carefully selected music that the therapist prepares according to the child’s needs. Music serves as a medium for relaxation, introspection, and stimulation.
  

Scientific research shows that music has a direct impact on the brain – it harmonizes the function of brain hemispheres, lowers blood pressure, regulates breathing, and stimulates cognitive functions. Music acts as a powerful stimulus for the integration of the mind and body, which is especially beneficial for children with developmental difficulties.

Every child requires an individualized approach because developmental difficulties can be congenital or acquired, mild or severe, which additionally influences the type of therapeutic work that will be carried out.

In music therapy, it is important to follow fundamental principles to ensure the treatment is effective:

1. Listening – actively paying attention to the child;

2. Observation – analyzing non-verbal reactions;

3. Absorbent mind – recognizing moments of highest receptivity;

4. Movement – music encourages physical expression;

5. Elements of music – rhythm, tempo, and melody are used therapeutically;

6. Gradual progression – therapy develops in phases;

7. Four stages – from listening to improvisation;

8. Scenic expression – combining music, drama, and movement.

Music therapy is far more than just a musical activity – it is a therapeutic method that combines science, art, and emotion. It does not impose solutions on the child, but rather helps the child discover a path to expression, communication, and development through their own musical experience. In a society striving for inclusion, music remains a bridge that connects the world of a child with difficulties to the world around them – tone by tone, to the rhythm of the heart.

Đenana Halilović 

University of Sarajevo
Faculty of Education
Department of Education and Rehabilitation
 2024/2025 BOSANA Scholarship holder