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Many parents notice early on that their child understands far more than they can say.
Perhaps your toddler uses only a handful of words, becomes frustrated when trying to communicate, or seems less interested in talking than other children their age. If this sounds familiar, you may have heard the term "late talker." While every child develops at their own pace, early support can make a significant difference. One approach that many families are surprised to learn about is music therapy. What Is a Late Talker?A late talker is generally a young child who has delayed spoken language development despite otherwise developing typically in areas such as play, learning and social interaction. Some signs may include:
Why Music Is Such a Powerful Tool for CommunicationLong before children can speak, they respond to music. Babies naturally tune into rhythm, melody, facial expressions and vocal patterns. In fact, the musical qualities of speech—such as pitch, rhythm, stress and intonation—are some of the first communication cues children learn to recognise. Music engages multiple areas of the brain simultaneously, supporting attention, memory, listening, movement, social interaction and language development. Importantly, music is also fun. When children are enjoying themselves, they are often more motivated to participate, take turns, imitate sounds and attempt new communication skills. How Music Therapy Can Support Late TalkersMusic therapy is more than simply listening to music or singing songs. A Registered Music Therapist uses music intentionally to support specific developmental goals. For late talkers, music therapy may help by encouraging: Joint AttentionJoint attention is the ability to share focus with another person. It is a foundational communication skill that supports language development. Through musical games, action songs and interactive play, children are encouraged to attend to both the therapist and the activity, creating opportunities for communication and learning. Vocalisation and Sound PlayMany children are willing to experiment with sounds in a musical context before they feel comfortable using words. Through singing, sound effects, animal noises and musical turn-taking games, children can practise using their voice in a playful and low-pressure way. Imitation SkillsImitation is a crucial building block for speech development. Music naturally invites imitation through copying actions, rhythms, sounds, gestures and eventually words. These repeated opportunities help strengthen communication pathways. Turn-Taking and Social InteractionConversation involves much more than words. Children learn to wait, respond, initiate and engage with others. Musical activities provide clear and enjoyable opportunities to practise these important social communication skills. Language LearningSongs contain repetition, predictable patterns and rich vocabulary. When language is paired with melody and rhythm, children often find it easier to remember and use new words. Music can support the development of vocabulary, understanding, early phrases and communication confidence. Supporting Parents Along the WayOne of the greatest benefits of music therapy for young children is that parents are actively involved. Sessions often include practical strategies that can be used throughout everyday routines such as mealtimes, bath time, getting dressed, car trips and play. Parents frequently tell me that these strategies become some of the most valuable outcomes of therapy. Rather than waiting for communication skills to emerge, families leave with simple, achievable ways to support language development every day. Small changes to how we sing, pause, model language and respond to communication attempts can create many more opportunities for learning throughout the week. Does My Child Need Music Therapy?Music therapy may be a good fit for children who:
Every Child's Communication Journey Is UniqueSome children need only a little extra support before language takes off. Others benefit from ongoing intervention to build communication skills over time. As a parent, this topic is close to my heart. My own son was a late talker, so I understand the uncertainty that can come with waiting, wondering, comparing milestones, and deciding whether to seek support. That experience gives me both professional and personal insight into the challenges many families face. Both personally and professionally, I have seen children flourish when given the right support at the right time. Through engaging, evidence-informed musical experiences, children can develop the foundational skills that support communication, connection and confidence. Whatever the path looks like, early support matters. Sarah Punch Registered Music Therapist Music Therapy Wellness
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This can make it exceedingly challenging for clients to prioritise in their budget when they are already paying for other treatments and services. Thankfully there are some wonderful organisations who have recognised this and do fund Music Therapy for eligible recipients in the community. We know of a few around Melbourne and have included these below:
We're sure there are others so will update this list as we learn more. We'd love to hear from you if you know of any!
The Australian Music Therapy Association are making great strides towards ensuring Music Therapy will be eligible for government rebates in the future, but until then, we continue to be grateful to the organisations who recognise its effectiveness and support those who need it most by funding Music Therapy.
To enquire about sessions please visit our Contact page. ~Music Therapy Wellness Clinic~
Yes, yes, yes it's all of those things, but it's also a whole lot more. To an outsider looking in, music therapy (MT) can appear to be entertainment. You see someone playing guitar & singing for someone who is smiling & moving to the sound and your brain links this to similar experiences- perhaps a music concert or entertainer you've seen.
Viewing it as a form of entertainment is a totally normal assumption to make based on what you are looking at, but in the case of MT, much more is happening that is perhaps less obvious to un-skilled observers. Think of a jam doughnut. To a foreigner who has never encountered this delicious sweet treat it might look like a plain, bread-like, flattened out ball. But those who know better would see it in all it's sickly sweet glory! The point here is that looks can be deceiving where MT (& doughnuts) are concerned. Go ahead & picture a young girl singing as her music therapist plays guitar. It looks like fun & she is clearly enjoying herself, but there are a myriad of reasons this activity might have been chosen by her therapist. For example:
Music is often non-confrontational & enjoyable which makes it an ideal creative tool for therapists to use to optimise therapeutic processes or outcomes. Think of it this way, if MT was the aforementioned jam doughnut, the sugar would be the music, the dough the therapist & client working together, & the jam would be the delicious, oozy, sweet, flowing wonder that's created through this partnership. Make sense? Ok I understand if I lost you with the doughnut but hopefully you get the idea. Music Therapy is first & foremost therapeutic, not entertainment. Music is the toolbox we use to target therapeutic goals and support clients towards improved wellness. For more information, visit out About page.
and I was lucky to learn so much from them along the way. But with every large organisation, no matter how brilliant, comes a barrage of red tape, politics & challenging dynamics. This is to be expected, and we navigate it as best we can as clinicians in the workplace because we love the work we do & the colleagues we share it with.
There came a point for me, however, where I really had to reflect on how this impacted my practice as a music therapist whose primary desire was to help support the client & their family with their wellness needs. This reflexive process revealed to me that it was time to go out on a limb to find a way to provide the type of service that matched my own values. What better way to achieve this than to start my own business...! I have been working so hard the past couple of months to develop this business in the highest quality way I possibly could. It has taken hours upon hours of research, time, commitment, hair-pulling & passion to get to this point and I'm so happy to be able to launch the Music Therapy Wellness Clinic in Brighton, Melbourne. Thank you to everyone who has shared their wisdom, visited the site, liked our Facebook page & spread the word. What an incredible community of people! I'm excited to share this year ahead with you all. |
Sarah PunchRegistered Music Therapist Archives
June 2026
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