Music Therapy Helps Autistic Children

Helping autistic students grow and learn is a challenging task, but at least one program is helping them do just that.

Music therapy at Drury University is teaching developmentally disabled students to interact through instruments and songs.

The program just got a grant for a little more than $122,000. That money will go towards expanding its services in the Ozarks.

"Everybody say what's up? What's up! It's time for music today!" says Leslie Richardson, Drury Music Therapist. "Music is all around it's part of everyone's life."

These Pershing students are having fun with music, and instruments. "Come on everybody, what do you say? Come on shake those eggs!" says Richardson.

These songs are fun and get the students moving. But there's a bigger message behind the notes.

"Through the music and through the instruments we teach them how to work together, to behave socially, correctly." says Richardson.

Richardson is using Music Therapy to help these autistic students learn life skills.

"They are increasing in language skills, socialization skills, attention span, mood increasing, they are happier at home." says Dr. Michael Cassity, Director of the Music Therapy program at Drury.

And it's working. "At school he has become much more active with other around him" says Teril Petersen Autism instructor at Pershing Elementary School. She sees the difference in her students, thanks to music therapy.

"I love what happens when they come they are out going they participate they are doing things you wouldn't see them otherwise do." says Petersen.

The grant came from the Lawrence and Barry County Tax Boards for the Developmentally Disabled.