Infant-directed singing as a vehicle for regulation rehearsal in the medically fragile full-term infant

In plain language

This paper was presented as a Keynote Address at the 2005 World congress of Music Therapy, Brisbane, Australia

Abstract

A significant step in the full-term infant's development is the achievement of self and mutual regulation. The invasive nature of care on the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit can undermine the medically fragile full-term infant's efforts to control his experiences through regulation of stimuli. During active music therapy, the therapist provides a contingent relationship in which improvised infant-directed singing serves as a vehicle for rehearsal of self and mutual regulation.

Keywords: neonates, infant-directed singing, self-regulation, mutual regulation, music therapy

Citation

Shoemark, H. (2006). Infant-directed singing as a vehicle for regulation rehearsal in the medically fragile full-term infant. Australian Journal of Music Therapy, 17, 54-63.