The Research

“Therapists have been using music therapy to promote memory and a sense of self in the treatment of older adults with dementia.”

http://www.todaysgeriatricmedicine.com/news/story1.shtml

“Music can have such a profound impact on our bodies and our brains that it is now widely used in medical settings as an intervention for a variety of ways such as natural anxiety relief, [and] depression treatment.”

https://universityhealthnews.com/daily/depression/what-is-music-therapy-find-natural-anxiety-relief-fight-depression-reduce-blood-pressure-and-more-with-this-alternative-approach/

“Music acts as a medium for processing emotions, trauma, and grief—but music can also be utilized as a regulating or calming agent for anxiety or for dysregulation.”

https://www.nami.org/Blogs/NAMI-Blog/December-2016/The-Impact-of-Music-Therapy-on-Mental-Health

“People with ASD often show a heightened interest and response to music, making it an excellent therapeutic tool for working with them.”

http://www.musictherapy.org/assets/1/7/MT_Autism_2012.pdf

“Music, the rhythm, the beat, the cadence, even the lyrics share neural circuits used for language. Therapists can use this ability to help a child who struggles with language and speech skills to communicate.”

https://ilslearningcorner.com/2016-03-music-therapy-study-says-music-key-for-non-verbal-children-and-children-with-speech-and-language-delays/

“Making music together is one of the easiest, most profound ways to remove barriers to socialization and connect in a genuine, human way.”

https://www.amusictherapy.com/single-post/2018/07/19/Can-Music-Therapy-Improve-Social-Skills

 "Music therapy is considered a support and preventative health service and beneficial for the well older adult looking for an opportunity to exercise his/her body and mind and maintain his/her abilities to the fullest extent through... group based music experiences"

http://www.themusictherapycenter.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/mtcca_olderadults.pdf 

Music therapy techniques-have been used to develop and maintain joint and muscle function or to increase fine and gross motor coordination and control, increase muscle strength, increase range of motion, improve cardiopulmonary and respiratory functioning, improve oral-motor skills, facilitate relaxation and controlled movement.

Because music is reinforcing, it can be used to motivate movements or structure exercises which are prescribed in physical rehabilitation. Involvement in music may provide a distraction from the pain discomfort, and anxiety often associated with some physical disabilities."

https://www.mtabc.com/what-is-music-therapy/how-does-music-therapy-work/physical-disabilities/ 

"All language has a natural rhythm, but some children cannot pick up on the rhythms of everyday conversation. Music provides a consistent, repetitive rhythm which helps children grasp the message."

 http://theorangeeffect.org/music-therapy-moves-kids-with-speech-delays/ 

There are several proven connections between music and education. These are including, but not limited to, singing and speech development, rhythm and fine and gross motor skills, lyric memorization and academic material retention, and listening and increased focus/attention to task. Music Therapy can also become a vital part of a student’s Individualized Education Program, with treatment plans specifically tailored to meet the needs, goals, and preferences of each individual child.

“Music-based intervention methods have shown promising results in rehabilitating movement, gait-related problems.”

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3970008/

"Recent research suggests that music therapy may lessen symptoms of prenatal anxiety for some women, which in turn may benefit the health of her child."

 https://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/during-pregnancy-anxiety-can-spike-music-therapy-may-help/2018/12/21/6ed05726-bdaf-11e8-be70-52bd11fe18af_story.html?noredirect=on