Music therapy as an augmentative method in practicing speech‑language pathology

Abstract

The article presents therapeutic actions toward restoring linguistic and communicative competence, and its aim is to show how music therapy enriches the methods of speech‑language rehabilitation. The rise of music therapy and speech‑language pathology as scientific disciplines was gradual and started almost exactly at the same juncture, i.e. at the beginning of the 20th century. The origins of both go back in time to the remote past, and both are characterized by an interdisciplinary nature. The methods of music therapy are in line with the speech‑language therapy scenario:

– eurhythmics, initially supporting education and upbringing, stimulates psychomotor development in a versatile manner,

– speech‑movement therapy supports general and motor development and aids speech capabilities,

– the Good Start method is applied for children with reading and writing difficulties and has a corrective‑compensatory influence,

– mobile music recreation stimulates the development of children suffering from cerebral palsy,

– high‑frequency sounds in the Tomatis method have a therapeutic effect for memory disorders, school‑related difficulties, dyslexia, autism, and emotional disorders,

– singing, which is a traditional method of music therapy, is widely applied in speech therapy for neurological disorders and in the treatment of stammering, as well as in psychosocial rehabilitation.