Neuro experts giving music therapy to patients:Indore’s Nikhilesh received therapy in America 30 years ago; his understanding developed

Music therapy is now being used in the treatment of patients admitted to Indore Government Super Speciality Hospital. Patients are being played devotional songs in the morning and old songs in the evening. Positive results are also emerging. According to doctors, music therapy helps divert serious patients from pain and physical discomfort, while also reducing stress. Recently, at the International Conference of Neurology held in Indore, experts from India and abroad, including Indore, advocated for music therapy. The case involves Nikhilesh (mentally challenged), the son of MG Road residents Satish-Sarita Bhandari. He was treated with this therapy in America 30 years ago. His health has improved because of it. The family says that music therapy is quite effective. He is the first child from Indore who received music therapy in America, and it made a significant difference. Nikhilesh’s mother, Sarita, said that he was only 3 years old when they discovered he had medical issues, especially regarding mental development. In 1993, they consulted doctors in Indore, but there was no improvement. Then they consulted doctors in Mumbai, where some therapy was started. He wouldn’t speak. He wouldn’t put his feet on the ground. He would cover his ears and cry when there was noise. When sitting in a car, it shouldn’t stop. He wouldn’t eat white foods. He mostly ate crunchy items. Suffering from Mental Retardation along with Autism A close family relative advised starting sound and listening therapy. At that time, it was given in Phoenix, Arizona, USA. Its main center is in Paris. Family members took him there and got all the investigations done. It revealed that, along with mental retardation, he also had Autism (problems with speaking, understanding, communicating, social behavior, or repeating one type of behavior). Actually, Nikhilesh’s symptoms were of autism. Know what is Sound and Listening Therapy Nikhilesh was given three months of sound and listening therapy in America. In this, the patient wears special headphones. Special music is played for them. During the three months of music therapy, Nikhilesh showed significant improvement. Earlier, he wouldn’t accept any sound at all, but he started accepting it. Before this, he had to be seated at the very back of flights. He couldn’t handle sound in restaurants and hotels either. There were considerable improvements regarding this, too. This is how the difference started showing. Every three months, we took him to America for music therapy. He received music therapy like this for about 10 years. This greatly increased his understanding. According to his mother, Sarita, we also started playing music for him. This helped him sit in one place and eat peacefully. Along with this, there was quite a difference. Music therapy calms the mind significantly According to mother Sarita, music therapy calms the mind significantly. After this, when the person (patient) does any work, there is a considerable change visible in it. By the way, this type of therapy has now started in India. Classical music was recorded on cassettes and played in America Nikhilesh was then played classical music from America, including Mozart and others. There were other instruments as well. According to the family, we were told at the center that you can also play Indian classical music. It was the era of cassettes, so during that time, family members recorded Indian santoor playing, violin, and other music on cassettes and took them to America. There, American and Indian classical music were given to Nikhilesh in music therapy. This brought more changes in him. Mother recited shlokas in recording In the final phase, mother Sarita’s voice was recorded and played to him. In this recording, the mother recited shlokas. Along with this, she read aloud a special chapter from a religious book that was recorded. Actually, in America, this recording was not played to him as it was from the beginning, but it started by blurring the voice. Mother’s voice sounds blurred in the womb because… Actually, according to research by American music therapy experts, when a baby is in the womb, some sounds between the mother and the fetus get missed. When the baby is in the womb, it doesn’t receive all sounds clearly because it is surrounded by fluid. In this case, when music travels through the water, it remains blurred. Then, as the baby grows, the sounds start becoming clearer. After this research, they first played Mother Sarita’s voice in a blurred form through the system. Then, when responses started coming, they kept playing it in clear sound. Santoor playing was specifically chosen for this. Actually, it is quite melodious. This made quite a difference. …and such a special change came in 10 years Mother Sarita says that she is quite satisfied with the significant changes in her son through music therapy. Son Nikhilesh now takes and eats his food (dry) by himself. He eats and drinks many things properly with a spoon. Though he cannot express verbally, he manages most daily routines by himself. Most importantly, he has adapted to a schedule in his daily routine. His schedule has been the same for years, and he doesn’t allow any changes because it has become his habit. He has a proper schedule from morning to night, including brushing, milk, then fruits, lunch, which prevents overeating. Will Present Indore’s Patient at the Next National Neurology Conference Senior neurologist Dr. JS Kathpal says that it’s not like just listening to music will reduce medications. Rhythm in music is important. For example, if Parkinson’s patients listen to rhythmic music, their gait and stride changes and improvement begins. In restless syndrome, patients kick their legs at night and can’t sleep properly. I gave one of my Parkinson’s patients a thesis subject on music therapy and advised them accordingly. The results have been very good. It will now be presented at the next conference of the National Indian Academy of Neurology.