The impact of music therapy on children with Dravet Syndrome

Lead researcher: Leanne O’Keeffe, Arts Therapist

Start date: October 2022

The aim of this research is to find out how music therapy affects the overall quality of life of children with Dravet Syndrome. It focuses on treating comorbidities, like autism and ADHD.

Dravet Syndrome UK will support the research by funding the researcher, who is a PhD student. We will also be helping her to design and distribute questionnaires for families about the impact of music therapy.

She will work with families for a range of timeframes, including one-off sessions, six to 12 weeks, and over the course of a year.

Music therapy may assist people with Dravet Syndrome with their mental health and wellbeing, concentration, coordination and self-awareness.

More broadly, the aim of the research is to help change the way the music therapy profession views neurological disorders such as Dravet Syndrome.