The Power of Music – it’s helping kids heal!
Shriners Hospitals are known around the world for their Children’s Hospitals, and their amazing work.
Many stories are being told and written about the “power of music”, especially when it involves children and young adults. Here is one story about one of their patients in the Salt Lake City Shriners Hospital.
15 year old Katy Litwiller had scoliosis from birth. Her scoliosis was so severe, a 68-degree curve in her spine, that when she sang a song, her ribs were pressing into her lungs and she struggled to breath. Katy auditioned for “The Voice” in 2015 and advanced to the next round. In weeks, Katy would be having spinal fusion surgery…
Her successful surgery has put her on the road to healing and rebuilding her life.
“Unfazed by her daughter’s relentless drive, her mother Jennifer reflects: “Her voice is her therapy. When she was in trouble, she sang. When she’s happy – she sings.” Katy agrees. “We have been blessed by Shriners Hospitals for Children. I feel the love there…it feels more like home than any other hospital I’ve ever been to. Scoliosis doesn’t define me, but I believe scoliosis has made me stronger.””
Read more about Katy Litwiller in the article here:
“Scoliosis superhero helps others during Scoliosis Awareness Month and beyond” –
< http://www.shrinershospitalsforchildren.org/en/why-were-here/Katie_Litwiller >
And here is another interesting and positive article about music therapy being offered to patients in the pediatric unit at Renown Health in Reno, NV. It’s a clinical intervention program that is providing a therapeutic benefit to children.
Healing With Music Therapy
“Doctors. Medical exams. IVs. A hospital can be an unpleasant place for sick children. That’s why the Renown pediatric unit offers music therapy to help reduce pain and anxiety.
Elizabeth Winkler is a child life specialist at Renown.
“You’ve got people poking and prodding, and using language they don’t understand,” Winkler says. “Sometimes moms and dads have to leave the bedside, so their only source of comfort is gone.” Winkler has seen the effects of music therapy.
“Even if that means like a 20 minute session of music,” Winkler explains, “and they’re smiling and their parents haven’t seen them smile in days, that is so healthy for the healing process.””
< http://kunr.org/post/healing-music-therapy#stream/0 >