Kalashree’s very first music therapy session!

Patient – 2.5 years old boy

Location/Mode – Skype

Persons present – Patient, patient’s mother, Kala,  Annada

Session time – 25 min

Patient was a 2.5 year old boy, undergoing intense cancer treatment. He just got home from a long four-month hospital admission, which was a rough period for him medically. Now he is in and out of the hospital.

Patient was in the hospital when we began the session. He stared at Kala, her violin and what she was doing. Kala played Raga Natnarayan, a raag that soothes. His face was curious but puzzled. His mother said that he liked nursery rhymes. So Kala started playing “Old McDonald” and his face broke into a smile. He was very interested in pig, duck sounds that the violin was producing and you could immediately make out that he was absorbed by sounds and music that he recognized. He did not seem drawn by the two ragas that Kala played and it primarily seemed to be because he did not know/recognize the music. Then Kala asked what else he would like and she said he liked “Wheels on a bus go round and round.” She recited that poem and Kala played it on the violin. Again the child broke into a smile. He also seemed mesmerized when Kala showed him her violin front and back.

Mom was happy that her son had sat still for 25 min without fidgeting and Kala has to brush up on her nursery rhymes!

The patient’s smile was the best!