Introducing music as a means of habilitation for children with cochlear implants

Objective: To investigate the feasibility, methods and the primary results of utilizing music as a means of habilitation of children with cochlear imp lant. Study Design: A habilitation program based on music training is devel oped. The results are presented as a case-series. Methods: Music Training P rogram is introduced as a new habilitation program. Methods of training (ba sed on Orff method) and measuring the outcomes are introduced in this paper . Effects of this program on other habilitation programs and overall hearin g related skills of children were also investigated by open questioning of the parents and the habilitation staff. Results: Twenty-three children, (ag e: 2.5-12.5 years) were selected. All children showed appreciable progress in playing a musical instrument. The effects on other habilitation processe s were significant and all parents expressed their satisfaction with the pr ogram, as they perceived its benefits. Discussion: The necessity of adding Music Training Program to the routine habilitation may be summarized as fol lows: Music is a feature of sound, which should be mastered. The psychologi cal effects of being able to accomplish a hearing-related task can add to t he self-esteem of children and help prevent and reduce anxiety. Music is a habilitation method: Introducing new concepts of sound, like temporal and f requency-related characteristics, is a crucial part of the habilitation of a child with cochlear implant. Practising new concepts needs motivation, to o. We emphasize on using all means of rehabilitation and encourage teaching music to cochlear implant children between 4 and 5 years of age having sim ilar to4 months of experience with cochlear implant. (C) 2001 Elsevier Scie nce Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.