Benefits Of Music Therapy In Personal Injury Claims
What is music therapy?
The Brain Injury Group consider that Neurologic Music Therapy is proven to be an effective treatment to help with verbal communication. For example a patient who may have suffered a stroke will lose their ability to communicate verbally in some cases. Music may help develop new pathways to the brain.
It is considered that neurological music therapy could aid walking with rhythm sounds and singing music can improve speech and may assist with speech therapy. It is considered that music can help improve people’s mood and this may assist with pain management for some people.
The Brain Injury Group consider that “As a result of music processors being present all over the brain and despite the damaged area, musical neurons are used to gain access to the non-damaged parts. It can stimulate and develop new aspects such as walking or communicating, taking away the focus from learning directly. It allows the body and functions of the brain to respond to music and re-learn behaviours that were lost, helping individuals gain back control of their life.”
Music therapy could be used in conjunction with physiotherapy and may help a person’s ability to walk.
Whilst music therapy is not a conventional form of therapy it is proving to be useful and can work well in conjunction with speech and language therapy and physiotherapy for example.
Benefits of speech and language therapy (SLT) following a brain injury
I have been working on behalf of a Claimant who sustained a minor brain injury following a road traffic accident when he was under the age of 3. The incident itself was traumatic for the family. It was difficult for the parents to know how their child was developing following the accident and whether the trauma to the head had impacted on the child’s learning and development in par with children of his own age. This in itself is difficult to assess for any child as all children reach developmental milestones at differing times.
If a person suffers from a traumatic or acquired brain injury, this often does result in speech and language problems but also problems such as swallowing which will have an effect on eating and drinking which is something we often take for granted.
Speech and Language Therapy (SLT) has greatly helped my client. This has particularly helped with communication skills and has assisted in developing confidence especially at the early stages of schooling.
SLT can help with improving speech to make it clearer, assisting in expressions and improving attention spans and memory and to assist with social skills.
The Defendant representatives took a collaborative approach and agreed to engage in the rehabilitation code. A case manager was appointed and my client benefited from an early assessment for SLT.
For a child, their brain will continue to develop until they become an adult and a trauma to the head can cause a major impact on the child’s development.
SLT can provide a child with confidence to allow them to express themselves and to try and prevent frustrations. An initial assessment will always be necessary to consider each individuals needs so that a programme can be put in place. For my client SLT has assisted my client with constructing longer sentences and developing his usage of phonics. The Speech and Language Therapist has worked closely with my client’s school with those teachers that work with my client on a day to day basis.
The Child Brain Injury Trust is a charity which assists children and families who have been affected by a brain injury. They can provide a great source of support and have done so for my clients family. They have provided a useful guide on ‘Childhood Acquired Brain Injury: the Hidden disability’ which is a helpful read.
If your child or a family member has suffered a brain injury, contact our Specialist Personal Injury Solicitors now on 0808 252 5231 or request a callback.