Has your child got rhythm? 
Sounds like a strange question. But have you ever contemplated how your child’s sense of rhythm might be affecting every aspect of his life?
Ka-thump, ka-thump…
Each of us has an internal mechanism in our brain that enables us to use rhythm and timing for nearly all the things we do. When we play sports, type on a keyboard, dance, play an instrument, ride a bike, and engage in conversation, we are using timing. The inner-meter in our brain tells us when to start something and when to stop. We know how to do everything from taking turns in a discussion, to hitting a tetherball. We understand when to speed things up or slow down, when to hesitate, and when to act.
Rhythm and timing, in the world of special needs, is also referred to as “motor planning and sequencing.”
Motor planning is the ability to cognitively decide how to use the body to accomplish a task. For most of us, this is practically effortless. We instantly know to jump over a puddle or move our legs faster to run.
Sequencing is the ability to know when to do something first, second, third, and so on. Most of our daily tasks are complex, involving many steps. Our brains have to organize the tasks so that we do them in the correct order.
Tick, Tock…
Children with ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Learning Disabilities, and sensory processing disorder are often lacking this internal “metronome” which should regulate their body’s rhythm and timing. A great deal of problems that these children have socially, academically, and physically are caused by motor planning and sequencing problems.
As a writer of children’s books, I rely heavily on rhythm and meter. I’ve found that children have a natural tendency to clap, snap, and tap to rhythms. I’ve always considered it primarily a form of entertainment, but I’ve learned that helping children develop a keener sense of rhythm is actually a marvelous form of therapy.
Interactive Metronome Therapy
If your child is struggling with social awkwardness, physical clumsiness, behavior problems, and academically is not hitting the mark, you might want to consider a special kind of therapy called “INTERACTIVE METRONOME (IM).” Interactive metronome is a technology-based therapy using sound and visual images. Your child learns to keep rhythm to a beat he hears while wearing headphones. He wears a special device on his hand which senses movement, or else he stomps on a special pad on the floor. Sounds in the headphone help him “hear” when he is on beat, or when he’s early or late. The therapy reminds me, in a very basic way, of dance video games where kids have to stomp on sensors, and get a score. However, Interactive Metronome is the child learning through sound and visual cues, to fine-tune his sense of rhythm.
Doubtful that Interactive Metronome therapy can work for your child? Visit the website and read the remarks of parents who saw a “remarkable” change in their child after ten to fifteen sessions. There’s a short informative video you can watch. And a simple test can be done which will tell you how your child uses rhythm and timing compared with other children her age. This is really an amazing therapeutic device, not just somebody’s crackpot idea. There are thousands of qualified IM therapists; simply use the website to locate one near you.
Got Rhythm?
If IM therapy is not available to you for some reason, try helping your child develop his sense of rhythm at home. As I mentioned above, there are dance/video games where children must keep a beat. Play music and help your child clap, clank spoons, or drum to the beat. Try marching, even dancing, with your son or daughter. However, it’s very difficult to help a child “feel” that he’s off beat, which is where IM therapy is so helpful. A child with a good sense of inner rhythm will be more successful in most everything he does.
Kristyn Crow is the author of this blog. Visit her website by clicking here. Some links on this blog may have been generated by outside sources are not necessarily endorsed by Kristyn Crow.