The American Academy of Pediatrics Initiative released in 2013 stems from continued research about the impact of early support and development on prevention of later health issues. The AAP Initiative, intended to transform pediatric practice, focuses on the first 1000 days of life as most critical in brain development. In this AMTA-Pro podcast, music therapist Dr. Becky Wellman talks about the parallels between the AAP Initiative and music therapy practice. She informally shares examples of ways in which music therapists working with children in their first three years often design music therapy interventions and sessions to encourage positive, interactive parenting and to address the five areas emphasized in the AAP Initiative, i.e., reading, rhyming, routine, reward, and relationship.

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Music Therapy in Early Brain & Child Development

AMTA-Pro Podcast – June, 2014

Becky Wellman, PhD, MT-BC/L, DT

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Overview of American Academy of Pediatrics 2013 Initiative

1. First 1000 days of life most critical in brain development, building neural connections, social-emotional connections, mirror neuron development, developmental connections
2. The 2013 AAP Initiative stems from continued research in how strong early support and development can prevent health issues later, and is intended to “transform pediatric practice” (AAP Experience, 2013)
3. Child development is the foundation for community and economic growth.
4. Brain development is integrated; the areas underlying social, emotional, and learning skills are inextricably connected and rely upon each other.
5. Toxic stress disrupts the developing brain and has lifelong effects on learning, behavior, and health.
6. Positive parenting and nurturing emerging social, emotional, and language skills buffers toxic stress and builds resilience by promoting healthy, adaptive coping skills.
7. Creating the “right conditions in early childhood is more effective and far less costly than addressing a multitude of problems later in life.” (AAP-EBCD, n. d.)

The AAP Initiative defines reading, rhyming, routines, reward, and relationship as five essential areas of focus in early brain and child development. In this podcast, Dr. Wellman gives examples of ways in which she addresses those “5 R’s of Early Learning” in her early childhood music therapy practice. She recommends that music therapy professionals, students, and interns check out blog posts at Early Childhood Music and Movement Association http://www.ecmma.org/ and articles in the on-line magazine Imagine http://imagine.musictherapy.biz/Imagine/home.html for more information about early childhood music therapy.

References & Resources

AAP. (n. d.) Early brain and child development: Building brains, forging futures. Retrieved from http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-facts/AAP-Agenda-for-Children-Strategic-Plan/Documents/5Rsofliteracy.pdf

AAP-EBCS. (n. d.) American Academy of Pediatrics: Early brain and child development. Retrieved from http://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/EBCD/Pages/Overview.aspx

AAP Experience. (2013). American Academy of Pediatrics: Pediatrics for the 21st century symposium series. Retrieved from http://www.aapexperience.org/2013/PEDS21FLYER.pdf

McLeod, S. (2009). Attachment theory. Retrieved from http://www.simplypsychology.org/attachment.html#sthash.mO86xiyw.DJiBB3yY.dpbs

Rohner, R. P., Khaleque, A., Cournoyer, D. E. (n. d.). Parental acceptance-rejection theory, methods, evidence, implications. Retrieved from  http://vm.uconn.edu/~rohner/intropar.html

About the Speaker

Becky Wellman, PhD, MT-BC, DT is a music therapist and developmental specialist living in the Chicago suburbs. Her private practice, Wellman Therapy Services, provides music and developmental therapies to very young children with special needs, and music therapy to children in the community with special needs through several area special recreations departments and older adults with memory loss. Dr. Wellman is an adjunct professor of Human Services at Ivy Tech Community College of Indiana where she teaches core human services and gerontology specialization courses through their distanceearning program. Dr. Wellman writes the Meaningful Music blog on the Early Childhood Music and Movement Association website. She is a regular presenter at national and regional music therapy conferences as well as those of other groups and professions.