Music: A Cure For All?

We've all heard how music therapy can do wonders for many populations including Autism, trauma, Alzheimer's, stuttering, pain management, etc.  How about for children with Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD)?

I remember reading, in an ancient text from graduate school (okay, that was only seven years ago, not THAT ancient), that nursery rhymes could be beneficial in auditory training due to the predictable and repetitive rhyme. However, it wasn't until last months issue of the ASHA Leader did I see an article on music therapy enhancing the performance in CAPD individuals.

In the article titled, "This Is Your Brain On Music", the interviewee, Dana Strait, discusses his success with shaping cognitive development in those with Auditory Processing Disorder. He suggests starting by learning a single-lined instrument to reduce motor complexity. For example, a guitar or the drums. He also states that age 7 is a critical age in which white mater develops, leading to implications on a good age to start playing an instrument or, "making music", as he refers to it.

Strait goes on to discuss that if the process of learning is enjoyable, the child will make greater gains. Music is one way to enjoy learning. Strait couldn't provide research on the benefit of musical electronic games including Rock Hero; but, he did say that they could be a viable first step.  What Strait could say is that there is a direct correlation between the time spent practicing music and the amount of neural/cognitive benefit.

If you or someone you know may be interested in music therapy as benefit for Central Auditory Processing Disorder, please visit http://leader.pubs.asha.org/article.aspx?articleid=1841209

S.

Tired from Listening

A recent article, from the March, 2014 edition of the ASHA Leader,  highlighted the relationship between hearing loss and fatigue. The study demonstrate that children with hearing loss suffered from general sleep/rest fatigue as well as cognitive fatigue more so  than their hearing peers. The study aimed to identify the impact that the fatigue due to hearing loss has on the education of elementary aged students.

This study could also be useful in generalizing effects not only to those with a hearing loss, but, also to student who have difficult with hearing/auditory-related difficulties. Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) is the inability for the brain to process auditory information the way you and I do. CAPD, similar to hearing loss, is diagnosed by an Audiologist; however, often will go un-diagnosed in many children as these kids have normal hearing function. However, placed in a noisy or distracting environment, children with APD will seem to have attention issues, difficulty following directions, and recall challenges. Since hearing the differences in sounds is difficult, they may start to have problems in reading and spelling; similar to a learning disability.

So, if kids with a hearing loss are shown to fatigue more quickly than classmates with normal hearing, we might be able to assume,that children who have CAPD also will fatigue more easily. It's important that we keep a lookout for these kids in our schools, clinics, and homes.

More information of CAPD can be found at http://kidshealth.org/parent/medical/ears/central_auditory.html

-S