The effects of music therapy and harmonica with pediatric patients admitted for respiratory issues

Asthma and wheezing are common illnesses among children today. The effects on the respiratory system, and other health factors such as having sickle cell disease, can further contribute to an exacerbated health issue resulting in respiratory distress and/or acute chest syndrome. The causes and effects these issues have on the growth and development, education, and psychosocial aspects of a child's life are numerous. The main purpose of this study was to investigate whether a specific music therapy intervention, targeting lung function, could increase oxygen saturation (SPO2), decrease respiration rate (RR), and lower heart rate (HR). Hospital inpatients (N=40) between the ages of 4 to12 years participated in a three-day randomized control study with control and experimental groups. Those in the experimental group received 3 days of music therapy treatment in addition to standard respiratory treatment, a fifteen- to twenty-five-minute intervention (N=20). The control group (N=20) received no additional intervention. A pre- and post-test consisted of the researcher documenting HR, SPO2, and RR before and after each interaction. Self-reports of breathing difficulty were also given by the subjects, pre and post intervention. For the experimental group, an exit survey was given to parents/guardians who were present at the conclusion of the final day. Results indicated that while music therapy did have a positive short-term effect on HR, SPO2, and RR, three days was not a sufficient amount of time to establish long-term side effects. A multivariate test indicated that between the groups and the collective physiological factors there was a significant difference (p=0.046). Comparisons between days and groups showed more significant difference in the experimental groups HR levels (p=.000 to .001) than the other areas.