The survey of over 100 parents (the vast majority of them mothers) was conducted by Dr. Sara Knapik-Szweda from the Faculty of Social Sciences at the University of Silesia - a certified music therapist who several years ago was the first to introduce music therapy for premature babies to a Polish hospital (today there are several such facilities in the country).

'93.1 percent of respondents stated that music therapy was not only an important element of supporting their child's development, but also helped them as well. Parents emphasised that thanks to music they had the opportunity to express their various emotions - including difficult ones, related to anger, fear or anxiety. Additionally, music therapy activities improved their well-being and allowed them to calm down. After all, the well-being of the parent has a significant impact on the child', says Dr. Knapik-Szweda.

Music therapy for prematurely born children is an early form of musical stimulation that has a holistic effect on their development: it supports the overall development of the premature baby and also supports the child's parents.

An important aspect, which the scientist also investigates, is the active involvement of parents in the therapeutic process. This concerns the Family-Centered Music Therapy method.

'This method assumes that a newborn child, especially a prematurely born one, is able to adapt to a new environment and achieve a certain sense of security through stimulation with certain sound aspects - in the presence of a parent. After all, a child hears its mother’s voice from the 24th week of pregnancy. So when this voice accompanies our musical activities, we can achieve better results; I have observed many times that when the mother joins in singing, the child’s parameters improve faster', the researcher adds.

That is why parents are encouraged to join the proposed musical activities by whispering, speaking, humming or singing, and thanks to such involvement they can continue elements of music therapy after leaving the hospital. 'Very often at the beginning of therapy, parents are reluctant to sing to their child in the company of a therapist, often explaining it with a lack of vocal skills. However, when they finally overcome this, after some time they say that music has made it much easier for them to communicate with their child. And for a child, the parent's voice itself is important - not whether it is off-key or not. The parent's voice is a tool that gives the child a sense of security and ensures a sense of belonging to the surrounding world', she points out.

In addition, music therapy is also a form of support for the parents themselves. 'The entire period of stay in the hospital can be a traumatic experience for parents. With the help of music, we can help them relax a bit, allow them to calm down their emotions or express them', says Knapik-Szweda.

What is music therapy for premature babies and what does it involve? 'A prematurely born child is a child whose psychomotor and neurological condition varies greatly, and whose further development depends on many biological and environmental factors. Early intervention and developmental stimulation is important. Therefore, the main goal of music therapy is non-invasive and holistic support for a prematurely born child in a new environment, learning certain physiological skills, e.g. breathing, eating or achieving a state of self-regulation', explains Knapik-Szweda.

It is important - she adds - that the activities are individualised and the music is performed live. 'A music therapist must constantly observe the child - its emotions, well-being, movements, but also physiological parameters such as heart rate, respiratory rate or blood saturation (the level of oxygen saturation in the blood). To this end, therapists adjust the appropriate melodic, rhythmic and harmonic elements. If we want to support learning to breathe independently, we introduce rhythmic, measured elements. In turn, to relax a child, they can, for example, use an instrument that imitates the sound of waves in the ocean, which reminds the child of the sounds of amniotic fluids', the music therapist says.

Musical activities are based on singing accompanied by instruments, usually a guitar or ukulele (mobile and delicate sounding instruments) or with the accompaniment of 'sound-enveloping' percussion instruments (e.g. imitating the sound of amniotic fluids from the prenatal period or the mother's heartbeat).

'Properly conducted therapy using music allows the child to establish a relationship with parents; reduces agitation, crying, irritation or stress; supports breathing; strengthens coordination skills related to eating; calms down, relieves pain and allows to achieve a state of self-regulation', Knapik-Szweda says.

Currently, there are several scientific centres in the world that educate music therapists to work with newborns. These include the University of Zurich (under the supervision of Dr. Friderika Haslbeck) and the Louis Armstrong Center for Music and Medicine at Mount Sinai Health System (under the supervision of Professor Joanne Loewy).

'Music therapy in neonatal intensive care units is not a standard in Poland, although it is becoming an increasingly appreciated scientific and clinical discipline. At the moment, there are five hospitals in Poland where professional music therapy is conducted for premature babies and their families. We hope that the number of hospital centres will increase each year', Knapik-Szweda says. (PAP)

PAP - Science in Poland, Agnieszka Kliks-Pudlik

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