Music therapy helping kids
A Wellington grandfather is singing the praises of a charity that uses music therapy to help pre-school aged children with disabilities.
Jim Tully takes his granddaughter, Ruby Ranger, 4, to classes at Wellington Early Intervention Trust (WEIT), a registered charity based in Lower Hutt that provides specialist therapy and teaching services for 35 children from around the Wellington region.
Children who attend the centre in Epuni have a range of diagnoses including cerebral palsy, Down syndrome and autism.
Tully said the trust was ‘‘an amazing organisation’’.
Ruby has Down syndrome and has been attending the centre for about three years.
‘‘I’ve been impressed not just watching the incredible development in Ruby but also in the others,’’ Tully said.
‘‘It’s been very obvious how some of the other kids have blossomed.’’
Service manager Lee Jones said the trust aimed to help children ‘‘fulfil their potential’’.
The centre’s core services are music therapy, speech language therapy, physiotherapy and early intervention teaching.
While the Ministry of Edu- cation offered similar services on a consultative basis, WEIT was the only place in the Wellington region to offer the range of services in one place, she said.
The trust has funding from the education and health ministries but the music therapy is not government funded. The centre provides it through donations and grants.
WEIT music therapist Coco Kho said music therapy was used to address different physical, social and emotional needs.
‘‘The element of music relaxes the children and distracts them from being anxious and nervous.’’
Singing exercises could help children express themselves and aid in developing cognitive skills.
Jones said the trust took a collaborative approach between the different services to cater to a child’s specific needs.
‘‘If a child is working on standing up with the physiotherapist then the music therapist will work on a song that encourages them to stand,’’ she said.
Jones said music therapy was an integral part of their service.
‘‘It makes the whole place come alive.’’
The trust is holding a fundraising concert for its music therapy programme performed by the Euphony Youth Ensemble at The Little Theatre in Lower Hutt on Thursday July 5, 7pm.