Mike Oliver is an opinion columnist who is using music and his writings to raise awareness to Lewy body dementia on his blog myvinylcountdown.com and AL.com.
As you all may have figured out, I enjoy music. (Understatement).
Not only do I enjoy music, I believe it is therapeutic, as I have pointed out before.
I believe it is therapeutic for anyone, not just those like myself who have a degenerative brain disease.
Now, news out of Switzerland on the effects of music on premature babies adds more substance to my, admittedly anecdotal reports of music’s healing properties
“Among very premature babies, some of whom were almost born four months ahead of schedule, those who were given daily doses of music written just for them had brain functions that appeared to be developing better than those who weren’t exposed to the music, ” according to ScienceAlert.com., citing several studies.
Yes! I knew I was on to something. Tiny babies rocking out, shaking their booties, doing the funky chicken are helping their brains.
Well not so fast.
Turns out they weren’t exactly rocking out.
The music (which the babies had no say in choosing) is basically elevator music.
The preemies received “eight minutes of soothing background musi c (Click to hear it), bells, harp, and the Indian snake charmer’s flute five times a week.
Incidentally, the snake charmer’s flute was the most soothing sound to newborns,” ScienceAlert.com reported.
Bells, flute, snake charmer’s flute? Are they trying to teach them to slither out of the crib?
I have a friend, Jill in California, who suffers great physical and mental pain upon hearing the harp.
Did the researchers consider any Iron Maiden or old school Black Sabbath. I find a little ‘Crazy Train’ gets my blood pumping in the morning. That’s the goal here, right? Get the healing power of blood circulation in the brain.
If the experts believe that hard rock may be too much at this age, or encourage head-banging, maybe they can start them off with a power ballad by the Scorpions. Or going to another genre, how about the soothing tones of Barry White? Or Smokey Robinson and the Miracles? Or the Rev. Al Green?
I listened to some of the music they used on these little ones and, frankly, it sounds like what we called New Age music. You know , Kitaro. There were no lyrics. I say get them started on words. Old school hip hop like Run DMC or Kurtis Blow.
May want to avoid the Police doing (De do do do de da da da). That, and Janis Joplin singing ‘Cry Baby.’
I think the babies would enjoy the whole catalog of the ‘The Mamas and Papas.’
While this is fun, I’d like to take serious note that the best way to solve this problem is to reduce the number of premature babies. Unfortunately many women lack access to good neonatal health care, and sex education. AL.com’s Anna Claire Vollers is spending the year investigating these and other serious issues facing moms in Alabama .
Follow Anna Claire Vollers excellent reporting on Motherhood in Alabama.
Sciencealert.com says the music was aimed at different parts of the babies’ day, such as feeding time or waking: “Headphones were placed on all babies during the trial when they were waking or noticed to be awake.”
I can see it, Lil’ Man, Lil’ Woman with the head phones on, maybe some shades, chillin’ to Bob Marley.
“We jammin’ we jammin,’ babies nodding their heads in unison, “we hope you like jammin’ too.”