Drama therapy working wonders for special-needs children

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Drama therapy working wonders for special-needs children

By THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- MOST CHILDREN with special needs are happy about attending the drama therapy programme at the Rajanagarindra Institute of Child Development, which has delivered very impressive results.

 

The programme teaches social and problem-solving skills to |participants in the form of dramas. 

 

“We find that 95 per cent of children who have attended drama therapy demonstrate higher emotional intelligence and are happy attending our sessions,” the institute’s drama therapist Chanaradee Suwanmacho said. 

 

Participants in the programme are evaluated on a monthly basis. “No one is aggressive any longer. There is hardly any sign of aggressiveness,” Chanaradee said. 

 

Even more encouraging is that children have developed greater movement ability, creativity, physical development and discipline. 

 

“For example, they may not know about table manners in the beginning. But after one month, they will know what they should and should not do,” Chanaradee said.

 

The programme requires participants to attend sessions from three to five times a week. After one month, participants start showing signs of improvement, Chanaradee said. 

 

The sessions cover icebreaking, the use of the five senses, imagination, concentration, constructive action and improvisation. 

 

“Each day, we can provide drama therapy to between four and 12 participants,” Chanaradee said. 

 

She added that although her institute mainly focused on children’s development, the drama therapy programme was also open to adults with special needs. 

 

“When they come together to conduct activities together, they learn about coexistence,” she said. “Our activities aim to prepare participants for activities they will come across in their daily lives.” 

 

Mental Health Department head Dr Boonruang Triruanworawat said art therapy was now used to treat children with special needs because the arts had many benefits. 

 

“It has encouraged emotional and intellectual development, concentration, creativity and more,” he said. 

 

Boonruang said such therapy focused on giving children with special needs attention, encouragement and, when they acted nicely, praise. 

 

“‘Optimusic’ therapy, for example, can help autistic children, those with cerebral palsy, or those with intellectual disability,” he added. 

 

“Optimusic” relies on both music and colour lights in providing therapy, while music therapy focuses solely on music. 

 

At the Rajanagarindra Institute of Child Development, the “optimusic” and music therapy clinic has treated 338 people. Of these, 96 per cent demonstrated higher emotional intelligence, less aggressive behaviour and improved social skills. 

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/national/30319080

 

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