Healing through music: Navin’s journey with Autism

Music-based interventions are used among individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Structured music helps in regulating emotions, reducing anxiety, and creating an alternative pathway for interaction, writes Dr Geetha R Bhat

Navin is ten years old now. But when he was a toddler, his parents began noticing that something was different. He avoided eye contact. He did not respond to his name. He did not begin speaking like other children his age. The soft hugs, playful conversations, and shared laughter his mother had imagined slowly gave way to confusion and concern. When Navin was later diagnosed with autism, his mother did what most parents do. She searched for every possible form of support and along with other therapies, she decided to try music therapy.

Sustained progress

The first few sessions were not easy. Navin constantly made sounds. He repeated not only parts of songs, but also sounds from the environment: a dog barking outside, a train passing by, the whirring of a fan. He would echo the last word of almost every sentence spoken to him. He found it difficult to sit for more than five minutes. There was no eye contact, and he often cried when overwhelmed. As a therapist, I knew that progress would take time. Instead of stopping his repetitive sounds, I began gently shaping them into rhythm and melody. If he echoed something, I responded musically. If he vocalised randomly, I tried to bring it into a pattern. The aim was not to force interaction, but to build one small emotional connection at a time.

Navin and his mother came regularly every week. Slowly, small changes appeared. After about six sessions, Navin began turning his attention toward me when I sang. He started responding more to the musical phrases than to the background noises around him. Instead of repeating every sound he heard, he began repeating mainly the musical parts. After several more sessions, he was able to sing a short composition without losing rhythm or tune when I gave him a simple count. This showed that his attention, listening skills, and coordination were improving. Today, after two full years, Navin can learn two or three short compositions in a single session. He looks forward to coming. He participates with other children. He maintains attention for much longer. Music has become not just sound for him, but a way to connect.

Navin’s journey reminds us that healing does not always occur dramatically, but often unfolds slowly, note by note and rhythm by rhythm, as what begins as scattered sound gradually transforms into a shared song where connection begins to emerge, reflecting a deeper truth about the relationship between music and the human brain. Music first enters as perception — vibration received by the ear and organised by the nervous system, which constantly searches for patterns.

In Indian classical music, pattern is intentional: the steady drone of the tanpura provides a stable auditory ground, rhythmic cycles create predictability, and melody unfolds within structure, allowing the listener to anticipate what comes next. 

Music as engagement

Music-based interventions are widely used with those diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and have shown benefits across emotional, social, and behavioural domains. Studies and clinical observations report improvements in self-esteem, reduced anxiety, and more positive peer engagement. Although many autistic children face challenges in language and communication, their ability to perceive musical elements such as pitch, rhythm, and melody is often preserved and sometimes a relative strength. This responsiveness makes music a natural and effective point of engagement, offering an alternative pathway for interaction that does not rely solely on verbal communication.

Structured music, particularly classical music with steady and predictable rhythms, can also support emotional regulation. Predictable rhythmic and melodic patterns stabilise the nervous system, which is especially beneficial for children with sensory sensitivities and difficulty filtering environmental stimuli. These anticipated patterns create a sense of order and safety, reducing anxiety and minimising behavioural distress in challenging situations.

For adolescents, music holds therapeutic value because of its close link to peer identity and social culture, making engagement through music feel less confrontational, more relatable, and an effective medium for leisure and connection. It is often said, “Where words fail, music speaks.” For many of the children I work with, words do fail them daily. Some struggle to express themselves verbally. Others find it difficult to process the constant stream of language directed at them. I often reflect on how overwhelming it must feel to be surrounded by speech one cannot fully understand or respond to. In such moments, music becomes a relief. A rhythmic exchange, a shared melodic phrase, a pause held together, these become conversation. The connection often feels more immediate than words and in this shared musical space, there is no failure, only participation.

(The author is a psychologist, veena and vocal artist, and dedicated music therapist, who employs Indian classical music-based interventions (MBI) for autism, cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, multiple sclerosis, dyslexia, and cancer survivors.)