Healing Notes

Combining Resources to Promote Music Therapy for Children in San Diego Hospitals

In Early 2010, Healing Notes and Resounding Joy merged combining resources in an effort to bring music therapy to children in hospitals across San Diego.

Healing Notes a 501(c)3 non-profit, was created in 2003 by Allison Tartari, a mother of four who experienced the benefits of music therapy when her newborn son was struggling for life as a result of a blood disorder. In the neonatal unit Tartari witnessed the improvement in the condition of another infant after several days of music therapy. Tartari advocated for the use of music therapy for her son and soon saw his condition improve as well.

The purpose of Resounding Joy’s Healing Notes program is to use music therapy as a means to improve the cognitive, physical, psychological and social wellbeing of young children and families facing healthcare issues within hospital settings. Resounding Joy’s staff completed the certification process necessary to provide music therapy services in the NICU (neonatal intensive care unit) and is in the process of connecting with several hospital NICU’s throughout San Diego County.

Benefits of Music Therapy in NICU Patients:

• Increases Self-Regulatory Behaviors
• Opportunity for Habituation
• Reduces Infant Stress Behaviors
• Improves Respiratory Rates
• Increases Oxygen Saturation Rates
• Promotes Non-Nutritive Sucking (Necessary Skill for Feeding)
• Accelerates Weight Gain
• Diverts Attention from Daily Noise in the NICU (Beeping, Voices, etc.)
• Provides Introduction to Language & Information Through Lullabies
• Encourages Appropriate Parent-Infant Bonding

For more information visit:
The National Institute for Infant and Child Medical Music Therapy