Effect of Music Therapy for Anxiety in Children

Abstract

Dental anxiety has been identified as a significant problem in both children and adults and is considered an obstacle in the provision of quality dental care by dental care providers. Music is an alternate treatment option which has been used in different medical fields. Suitable music has been shown to have a strong influence on human brain waves. The aim of the study is to estimate the effect of music therapy for anxiety in children. 60 children aged 7-9years were divided into two groups, Group I: treatment without music and Group II: treatment with music. The treatment done for the children included scaling and pit and fissure sealant application. The method followed for this study was the coin toss method. The analysis was done using SPSS software.The results showed that the pulse rate in children treated with music is decreased. The systolic and diastolic blood pressure is also decreased in children treated with music. A drastic variation was observed in the pulse rate, systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. Within the limits of the study, music therapy helps children with anxiety.