Dr. James Burns, University of Limerick, Ireland researcher and pediatric music therapist at the National Rehabilitation Hospital, Dublin. Credit: Picture: Alan Place/University of Limerick
New research by the University of Limerick in Ireland has found that collaborative sessions combining music therapy with speech and language therapy can support meaningful communication gains in young children recovering from acquired brain injuries.
The study, led by UL's Health Research Institute, explored how children ages 2 to 6 responded to a joint music therapy and speech and language therapy program delivered during inpatient neurorehabilitation.
The research identified three key ways the interdisciplinary approach supported communication development: using familiar songs to encourage vocal expression, using active musical play to strengthen turn-taking and social reciprocity, and embedding choice-making opportunities in highly motivating musical activities.
Led by Dr. James Burns, a UL researcher and pediatric music therapist at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dublin, the study offers new evidence for how music can create structured, enjoyable opportunities for children with acquired communication impairments to reengage with speech, sound, gesture and interaction.
