Guidelines for Music Therapy Practice in Pediatric Care

Book excerpt: The aim of this book is to provide student and professional music therapists with a solid foundation for clinical practice with infants and children in pediatric medical settings. The guidelines are based on both the practice wisdom of the contributing authors and a critical review of the existing literature. In addition, each chapter provides an overview of research evidence to date for music therapy practice with the respective populations. Included are chapters on the following populations and/or areas of care: pain management, premature infants, full-term hospitalized newborns, pediatric intensive care, surgery and procedural support, burn care, cancer, palliative and end-of-life care, brain injuries and rehabilitation, respiratory care, medically fragile children in low awareness states, and general inpatient care. Practical guidelines are provided for implementing receptive, improvisational, re-creative, and compositional methods of music therapy with each client group. All chapters in the book follow the same outline, allowing for easier reading and study. Current resources, readings, and forms are presented.