Home of Autism-PDD.net To Message Boards Site Map Free Autism Seminars

Music Therapy Songs - Music and Learning

  Back to Autism Information >> Next Topic

Hi Everyone,

My child, Matthew, loves loves LOVES music. It has been the best way
for him to learn new skills...if something is made into a song and
especially if it's silly. Matthew was born with agenesis of the
corpus callosum. The corpus callosum is the middle section of the
brain that connects the two hemispheres of the brain together and
allows for communication between the right and left sides of the
brain.  People often ask me if he has autism.  He displays some autistic tendencies.  He does not have autism although some kids with ACC are on the autism spectrum and diagnosed with autism as well. 

We have done a little music therapy in the past and we are scheduled
again to work with a new music therapist soon. Since I began
homeschooling Matthew last year I have been searching for music
therapy CDs, borrowing from the library and am always searching the
net for new songs and song clips.

Well, the other night I was searching again and I stumbled on the most
fantastic website (Listen and Learn) with full length songs at no charge sung by a board-certified music therapist, Rachel Rambach. Matthew and I sat and listened and laughed and sung to her songs for probably close to an hour enjoying
every minute. Matthew was really engaged in several of the songs.
We explored many songs and when we found one that he connected with
and loved his eyes would light up and he would become super engaged
in the song, even signing for "more" when it was over. I discovered
the website while searching for counting songs. We found the cutest
and super fun counting songs and a huge assortment of other fun, learning songs in a variety of topics.

http://www.listenlearnmusic.com/

So often music reaches and touches us in so many postive and
delightful ways. For many kids and kids with agenesis of the
corpus callosum (ACC) as well as kids with autism and other learning
and developmental disabilities music is a way in to help a child
learn a new skill, respond, imitate, make new sounds, and the list
goes on. This is true for my own child. Since he was a
little baby he has always responded and learned more easily if music
was involved, if a silly song was sung to teach him a body part. I
love how music is able to reach in and bring out the most beautiful
possibilities in a baby, a child and a grown adult. Music touches our
spirit and moves us deeply.

I want to pass along this website to others so that you can explore
it and see if it might touch your own child as it has done for my
son, Matthew.

Explore Listen and Learn Music and meet the board-certified music
therapist behind it all, Rachel Rambach. You will find full versions
of songs to sing with your child at no cost and she even offers the chance to
create Custom Listen & Learn CDs with 10 of your favorite songs for $10. She
will even personalize Hello, Birthday and Good-bye songs for your
child, student or class. Wow! Rachel lives in Illinois and works full-time at Hope Institute as the music therapist.  She also has a private music therapy practice.  She is experienced in working with children who have autism.  I am so thrilled to have found her website. My own child, Matthew, and I have been having so much fun singing and laughing and loving our music time together thanks to Rachel.

Listen and Learn Music:

http://www.listenlearnmusic.com/

More about Rachel Rambach (Board-Certified Music Therapist):

http://www.listenlearnmusic.com/2008/09/about.html

Songs:

http://www.listenlearnmusic.com/2008/09/songs.html

Custom Listen & Learn CDs:

http://www.listenlearnmusic.com/2008/10/custom-listen-learn- cds.html

Sandie *Mom to 15 year old Matthew with complete agenesis of the
corpus callosum in Oregon*

A website about Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum-Angels Around the
World:
http://members.tripod.com/~scenicbeauty/AngelsAroundTheWorld .html

Hello, Thanks for the links to listen and learn, it is a very nice site. I write
songs for children to learn English, but recently I have received emails
from parents of children with autism who have had great success with the
songs. Here is an excerpt from a recent email:

the day i downloaded your songs from dream english and ryhmes my
son started talking.My son is diagnosed by speech and development
delay (autism).he is 4yrs.he never tried to speak a single word.every day
he listen to your songs.now he started to talk.yours song what's your
name, when it comes he say his name ethan


All my songs are free to download, and I am posting this here in case the
songs might be helpful to your son and others. The website with all the
free songs is:
www.dreamenglish.com
www.dreamenglish.c
om/freedownload

Thank you, MattHi Matthew's Mom!
Below is another great web-site dedicated to children with autism and other developmental delays. It is all teaching through MUSIC and visuals to correspond with it. The early learning skills kit sold is GREAT. Check out the website to gather more information. Perhaps your son may benefit from something like this.

http://www.learnourway.com

Sincerely,
Herres1228
 
Copyright Autism-PDD.net