Music therapy program helps calm children during critical procedures

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Music therapy at the Queensland Children's Hospital has had a lasting impact on its patients. For the past 30 years it has helped calm and stabilise the heart rates of children during and after critical procedures.

Transcript

00:00 Hello, hello, hello.

00:06 An acoustic guitar.

00:07 Up above the world so high.

00:13 And lullabies, creating a calming melody for some of Queensland Children's Hospital's

00:19 youngest patients.

00:21 She feels nice and relaxed.

00:23 She goes to sleep very easy, very calming.

00:25 Baby Ruby is just 10 weeks old.

00:28 She was born with half her heart severely underdeveloped.

00:32 From one month old, Ruby began music therapy.

00:35 Her heart rate does come down and yes, she's a lot more stable.

00:44 Music therapists have been filling the hospital with sweet harmonies for three decades.

00:49 Dr Jeanette Connelly was there during the early days.

00:53 I was actually lucky to do a clinical placement as a student at the old Royal Children's Hospital.

00:58 As the now clinical lead, she has overseen 750 children receive music therapy this year

01:05 alone.

01:06 We actually receive referrals from doctors, from nurses, from other allied health in the

01:11 hospital about children who are having difficulties with being in hospital.

01:18 The sessions are also inspiring future musicians.

01:22 Amy's just had a love for music and just recently, the last four months, we've been able to get

01:28 guitar lessons at home.

01:30 Including nine-year-old Evie Smith, who has cystic fibrosis and frequently stays at the

01:35 hospital.

01:37 With the help of music therapists, those visits have turned into lessons.

01:41 It took the edge off the procedures.

01:44 There was calmness in the room and watching Evie smile was worth it.

01:48 [BLANK_AUDIO]

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