Two weeks ago I attended the Family Connection Conference. All of the workshops were great. I went to ones about assistance dogs, stress management, ABA therapy techniques, The Anat Baniel Method and sensory activities. They were all very good and informative but the one that stuck with me and I have not been able to forget was about music therapy. Prior to this I knew nothing nothing about it, not what it was or anything. I quickly learned in that 1 hour 15 minute presentation what it was and I wondered how did I not know about this, how come no one told me about it and how do I get Joshua into it. Not just it but I was enthralled by the therapist, she runs her own practice. So not only do I want Joshua doing music therapy but I want her doing his therapy. Unfortunately it is not something that insurance covers. Joshua gets physical, occupational and speech therapy all covered by insurance. Music therapy is new compared to these types of therapies, hopefully it will soon be covered by insurance. Until then it is an out of pocket expense. I have already contacted one foundation about getting funding and Joshua's Early Interventionist told me about summer support funds that the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs gives out for children with special needs to go to summer camp. We will be applying for these funds to get Joshua started with music therapy (I do not know how much we will be able to apply for or receive). I have also started a FundRazr to raise money for this. I am planning to ask family and friends to donate instead of buying gifts for Joshua's birthday or Christmas/Hanukkah. I don't know if that will work but I'm going to give it a try.
Music has always been something wonderful in Joshua's life. From the time he was a newborn when he was upset especially in the car I could put on a certain song from a certain CD and he would stop crying. Once when he was getting an x-ray and had to be still I sang to him, that was all it took. Now I can sing to him and get an immediate smile. Music has also been how we have gotten the first imitations out of Joshua most recently he quacked at preschool to a song, he can (when he wants to, like everything else) go EIEIO in Old MacDonald, I taught him how to do Ring Around The Rosie and he was doing DA for down at the end of the song and it all comes back to music. It was immediate for me upon learning about music therapy, I want to do this for Joshua. The possibilities are endless. Now we just have to figure out how to make it happen. Here is the link to the FundRazr
