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Updated: May 10, 2025
Clinical Practice Protocol of Creative Music Therapy for Preterm Infants and Their Parents in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
Published on: January 7, 2020
Impact of Music Therapy on Neurodevelopment of Preterm Infants and Functional Improvement in Children with
Filomeni Armakola1, Eleni Potamiti1, Anna Tsiakiri2
1Early Rehabilitation Department of Children's Hospital P. & A. Kyriakou Hospital, 11527 Athens, Greece.
Insights
Neurological music therapy (NMT) shows promise for infant neurodevelopment and functional improvements in children with neurological deficits. While well-tolerated, its specific biomarker impact requires further investigation for optimized rehabilitation.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Developmental Pediatrics
- Rehabilitation Medicine
Background:
- Neurological music therapy (NMT) is recognized for its benefits in various neurological conditions.
- Early neurodevelopmental outcomes and functional improvements are critical in pediatric neurology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To systematically review the effects of NMT on early neurodevelopment in infants hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
- To evaluate NMT's impact on functional improvements in children with neurological deficits.
Main Methods:
- Systematic review (SR) of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
- Searched Scopus and MEDLINE databases for studies on NMT in infants and children with central nervous system static lesions.
- Included 18 high-quality studies meeting all eligibility criteria.
Main Results:
- NMT appears well-tolerated by neonates and children.
- NMT shows promise for enhancing functional and physiological development.
- The impact of NMT on specific biomarkers in neurological conditions is underexplored.
Conclusions:
- Further research is essential to clarify NMT's role in rehabilitation.
- Optimizing therapeutic approaches for neurological support through NMT requires additional investigation.
Background/Objectives:
The aim of this systematic review is to assess the effect of music therapy initiated during neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) hospitalization on the early neurodevelopment of infants and to evaluate its impact on functional improvements in children with neurological deficits. Numerous studies underscore the benefits of neurological music therapy (NMT) for treating various neurological conditions.
Methods:
This systematic review (SR) specifically includes randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and draws from a comprehensive search of articles in the Scopus and MEDLINE databases. Eligible studies examined the effects of NMT on infants and children with central nervous system static lesions. Eighteen studies met all inclusion criteria, and the overall quality of the evidence was high.
Results:
However, while NMT appears to be well-tolerated by most neonates and children and holds promise for enhancing functional and physiological development, its impact on specific biomarkers in neurological conditions remains underexplored. Further research is essential to clarify NMT's potential role in rehabilitation and to optimize therapeutic approaches for neurological support.
