Ukulele. The Ukulele is a great instrument for autistic children, for plenty of reasons. The small size makes it easier to handle than a full-sized guitar, they are able to be played right away instead of waiting to be tuned, and they come in many colors, making them a desirable instrument for kids.
The ukulele is also easier to hold than a guitar, and doesn't produce horrible sounds if a wrong note is hit. Ukuleles also aren't that expensive, with prices ranging from $50 to $100. Not only is this instrument easy to hold, but it's cheap (some models are less than $10) and helps develop motor skills.
Playing musical instruments stimulates the autistic brain to make new connections and strengthens existing ones; this can result in improved mental health and increased cognitive ability for people with autism engaging in musical play activities.
What kind of music is best for autism? Music therapy for autistic people is often improvisational. This means the music is spontaneous and matches the temperament of the person playing. Music therapists say music with a strong beat, simple structure, and easy lyrics do best.
Autistic listener's felt responses to music is (statistically) normal. Of course there are a diversity of autism phenomena. But in what are called “high-functioning” cases of autism, the musical response, as measured by GSR, was not significantly different from the non-autistic control group.
Parents and caregivers have found that autistic children are able to communicate and express themselves much better through music than any other form of expression. This can sometimes be in the form of singing, as an alternative to speech. Music can also improve a child's behavior, as it has a calming effect on them.
Individuals with autism also show equal or superior abilities in pitch processing, labeling emotions in music, and musical preference compared to typically developing peers.
Piano As Outlet For Autism
If you have an autistic child, one outlet for their expression may be music at the piano. I have found that these children adore both the sound and the musical theory behind the piano. My most recent student, who has autism, is practically the definition of childhood musical genius.
The combination of math, music, hands-on stimulus, and repetition makes drumming a good fit. Experience has shown hand drums to be particularly effective with autistic students.
Many people with autism are considered to be limited in their ability to learn musical instruments. In truth, many children and adults with autism can excel at guitar-playing when given the right opportunities. Many parents are surprised to find that their children with autism have musical skills.
Many children on the autism spectrum are fascinated by animals, trains, or other aspects of the real world. Selected TV and videos, such as "Animal Planet" and the "Eye Witness" videos can build on those interests.
Users can touch, move, and interact with their learning environment. This makes education less abstract and more meaningful for individuals with autism. The iPad and autism are perfect together because unlike traditional technology, the tablet is easily transportable. Why is this important for autism?
First of all, children with ASD seem to enjoy musical experiences because they are often “good at it”. This isn't just pertaining to musical savants, which is a less common occurrence. Current findings do show that children with ASD perform better at certain musical skills than typical children.
Emotional Regulation and Music
Research has found that people with autism have average or above average abilities in identifying the emotions present in music. So people with autism can connect with the emotional aspects of music which can be very therapeutic for them. They can use music to express their emotions.
One particularly rich indicator of social differences in autism is the voice. Children with autism often sound different from other people. Some may speak in a flat, monotone voice; others may use unusual modulation or stress different words or parts of words in their speech; and some may speak at an increased volume.
The popular image of a person with autism is a quiet, isolated individual who prefers solitude to social interaction. This is often true, but by no means always the case. While autistic people, by definition, have challenges with social communication, many enjoy social interaction, group activities, and friendships.
It is not only a stress-reliever, but it also has shown positive results in reducing panic attacks and depression. When an autistic person listens to music, they will find it calming and peaceful. Therefore, doctors also suggest using music therapy to improve their social behaviors.
Noise reduction headphones reduce the actual noise level (decibels) that the ears process but does not completely eliminate noise altogether. For children with auditory sensitivities, this enables them to participate in potentially loud environments without being overstimulated by the sounds around them.
One key finding was that children's symptom severity can change with age. In fact, children can improve and get better. "We found that nearly 30% of young children have less severe autism symptoms at age 6 than they did at age 3.
Also, autistic children are often visual learners. This might be because visual information lasts longer and is more concrete than spoken and heard information. It might help autistic children to process information and choose how to respond. You can help your child learn by presenting information visually.
Autistic individuals prefer predictability, routines, and patterns, making sudden changes difficult. It bothers them greatly when unexpected changes occur, and they become very upset about it. For instance, HFA individuals may stick with routines developed for them by other people or themselves.