By MARA VAN ELLS
(January 8, 2012 -MIKE McCLEARY/Tribune) Four-year-old Ben Enzminger can do things he never could before – he can sit by himself and raise his arms on his own.
Although it might not seem like much, these are big accomplishments for Ben, who has cerebral palsy. Since working with music therapist Laura Fehr, Ben has come a long way.
Fehr uses music to work on non-musical goals with those who have disabilities, disorders or who are developmentally behind. “Music therapy works because music is processed everywhere in the brain,” Fehr said, explaining that music can stimulate new pathways within the brain that language alone will not.
Fehr has been doing music therapy weekly with Ben since April. She said he has strengthened his arms and improved his posture, grasp and eye-hand coordination.
- Ben Enzminger, 4, flashes a big smile as he plays a music and word game withmusic therapist Laura Fehr during a therapy session held at Red Door Pediatric Therapy last month in Bismarck. Fehr, a board certified music therapist, uses creative ways to engage Ben, who has cerebral palsy, with several hands-on techniques involving instruments and games.
“This just gets him into a different environment and hands-on with the musical instruments, which he doesn’t get anywhere else,” said his mother, Nicole Enzminger.
Enzminger said music therapy reinforces skills Ben is working on in other therapy sessions, such as speaking and walking. Some of his specific goals in Fehr’s music therapy sessions are saying consonants, linking words and following two- or three-step directions.
“I think it’s just been good for Ben to have a different way to practice those goals,” Enzminger said. “We’re trying everything we can that is creative and fun. A lot of different stimulus is kind of what we understand is the key to helping.”
Playing instruments is multi-sensorial, while music is enjoyable and motivating, Fehr said.
“Music is familiar. Everyone knows some sort of music,” she said. Fehr, a Dickinson native, is music therapy board certified and can work with people of all ages and disabilities, including aging, medical, communication or psychiatric disorders, physical disabilities or chemical dependency. She graduated from University of North Dakota in 2010 with a bachelor’s degree in music therapy and a minor in psychology. She completed a six-month internship in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and covered a maternity leave for a school music therapist for three months in Davenport, Iowa.
Fehr has had her own business since May, but also contracts her services to different organizations. Often, her biggest challenge is explaining to people how music therapy is beneficial.
“A lot of places, I think, are uneducated as to what music therapy is and how I can help,” she said.
University of Mary special education, cognitive and language development instructor Becky Salveson said she believes that music therapy will continue to become more commonplace.
“People don’t know (what music therapy is) at first, but almost everyone can relate to being moved by music,” she said. “I’m not a music therapist, but any special ed teacher working with kids with autism or with emotional disorders uses music.”
Music therapy can be used for people of all ages, Salveson said.
“I believe strongly that music therapy is a real therapy and will come into its own. The baby boomers are a very powerful lot, and as soon as they are accessing enjoyment, renewed cognition … they’ll insist that (music therapy) is an adjunct therapy. I don’t think it’s very long coming,” she said.
Fehr does individual sessions with five children and one adult in the Bismarck-Mandan area with conditions such as spinobifida, autism and Peters anomaly.
Ben’s favorite activity during music therapy sessions is playing with a rainbow play parachute. Each session, Ben grasps the parachute with both hands and lifts it up and down. Fehr sings to the beat of his arms.
“So it’s also motivating,” Fehr said. “If he doesn’t raise his arms, I’m not going to sing the rest of the song.”
Last summer, Ben’s mother needed to help him raise his arms. Now, Ben can pump his arms on his own and only needs assistance standing. The therapy also forces Ben to use his left hand, which is much weaker than his right.
Part of the game is popping stuffed animals off the parachute, and Ben has to retrieve the toys. To work on his goal of following multi-step directions, Fehr will sometimes ask Ben to pick up the stuffed animals in a particular order.
“His grasp is a lot better because he has to pick up the animals and put them back on the parachute,” Fehr said.
Before Fehr came to Bismarck, Ben did about five sessions with a music therapist who traveled to Bismarck from Grand Forks once a month or so.
“We did experience it before so we knew that we liked it … It’s helpful to have (music therapy) one on one and being able to have it hands on with the instruments,” Enzminger said.
Before taking on a client, Fehr meets with the individual’s parents or caretaker to gather background information. She does a session with prospective clients to assess motor, cognitive, communication and social/emotional skills. She tests them to see if they react to music and determines how she thinks music could help them improve their skills.
Fehr works with her clients to set specific goals. For example, Ben’s goals include sitting by himself for 75 percent of sessions. Every three months, she assesses the clients again to see if they have met their goal. If they have, they make a new goal for the next session.
Fehr’s individual music therapy sessions are weekly and can be 30 or 45 minutes long. For more information contact Fehr at 701-290-0014 or email at laura.fehr.mtbc@gmail.com.
Enzminger said the sessions are upbeat and fun but still have Ben working hard at his goals. “He really does enjoy music,” she said.
(Reach Mara Van Ells at 250-8251 or mara.vanells@bismarcktribune.com)
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