Effects of music on crying behavior of infants and toddlers during physical therapy intervention.
OBJECTIVE
This study was designed to investigate the effects of music on the amount of time that infants and toddlers cried during physical therapy sessions.


METHODS
An A-B-A withdrawal multiple single-subject design was used with 9 infants and toddlers with or at risk for developmental disabilities. Music was played during therapy in the intervention period but not in the baseline periods. The number of minutes that the participants cried was documented in a Crying Log. Results were analyzed using a celeration line approach and descriptive statistics.


RESULTS
Responses to music varied among the participants, with 6 of 9 children crying less when music was used during therapy.


CONCLUSIONS
Infants and toddlers with or at risk for developmental disabilities may benefit from the use of music during physical therapy to reduce crying. Effects of music on other aspects of infant and toddler behavior need to be studied.
Rahlin
Mary
M
Department of Physical Therapy (M.R.), Rosalind Franklin University of Medicine and Science, North Chicago, Illinois, USA. mary.rahlin@rosalindfranklin.edu
Stefani
Janette
J
D002675:Child, Preschool; D003448:Crying; D002658:Developmental Disabilities / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009147:Music Therapy; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D013997:Time Factors; D014743:Videotape Recording