Every child will have varying degrees of impulse control. Children who have been diagnosed with autism or special needs will have less control over their impulses. As a parent, you want to be able to tell your child to not do something when it might be dangerous. When your child wanders off towards a busy street, you need to be able to stop them and they listen. However, children who do not have good impulse control, will not be able to listen as needed. With music therapy, your child can work on impulse control so they have a better understanding of when they need to listen to stay safe and secure.

Albert Knapp & Associates Music Therapists John Mews has created a program to assist with developing proper impulse control in children. By using a song titled ‘This is the way’, Mew can assist with helping children to learn the word STOP, even toddlers. At the end of the song, during music therapy, the children are told to freeze.

By working on learning how to stop, children are able to control their impulses, gaining self-control and improving in impulse control at home, school or in public. The word STOP is made fun so your child will act accordingly when they need to be able to control their impulses.

By adding in music and play during therapy, the child is able to better understand the word STOP and able to make great strides in impulse control. It is important to try new ways to teach your child about impulse control and with music therapy, a number of instruments and methods can be used if your child has trouble adjusting to certain techniques.

Learn more about music and developmental therapies to see if this method might assist your child in having better impulse control.