The Effects of Music Therapy as a Complementary Intervention in the Treatment of Pediatric Asthma

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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The onset of asthma is particularly frightening for children. When the symptoms of asthma decrease, children and parents forget about the maintenance and control of breath and lung volume. Because adherence is so poor, asthma is known as the emergency room illness. The playing of a wind instrument is a unique way to provide a creative means for children and teens to understand both the impact of diaphramatic breathing and their ability to control it as well. This study builds upon the evidence, though sparse, that suggest that the blowing of a wind instrument with clinical music therapy intervention strengthens the muscles of breathing and fortifies the incentive toward attending to the daily symptoms and general management of asthma.

Official Title
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The Effects of Music Therapy as a Complementary Intervention in the Treatment of Pediatric Asthma

Conditions
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Asthma

Intervention / Treatment
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* Other: One time music therapy
* Other: Group music therapy


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria: between the ages of 7 and 18 diagnosed with asthma Exclusion Criteria: over 18

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 7 Years
Maximum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Triple


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Active Comparator: One time music therapy session<br>One time music therapy session which consists of music meditation, including as assessment/evaluation of confined body breathing function as expressed through drawing and coloring post music imagery session. This is followed by an entrainment wind playing/breath expansion music therapy intervention. At the end of the session, the subjects are given a donated wind instrument for play at home. | Other: One time music therapy<br> <br> |
| Active Comparator: Weekly group music therapy intervention<br>The weekly group music therapy intervention consists of children and teens using guided visualization and expressing their fears and or fantasies related to breathing with one another. This is followed by creative music improvisations with part-playing on flutes, slide whistles, recorders and melodicas. | Other: Group music therapy<br> <br> |
| No Intervention: Control<br> | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Quality of Life | The Juniper Questionnaire is a stringent quality of life measure that provides interview for children and teens and their parents. It is one of the few scales that requires these interviews to occur separately, so that children and parents do not feel compelled to answer what they think the other desires to hear. We also used take home journals and a comprehensive medical assessment to learn of ER visits, missed school days, avoidance of medication, and allergens in the home, as well as socio-economic status - these factors are known in the literature to effect outcomes and exacerbations with this population. | 6 months | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Increase volume capacity | Spirometry enabled us to analyze the possible effects of wind playing on the child's breathing | 6 months |