Early stages of musical development: Relationships between sensory integration dysfunction, parental influence, and musical disposition of a three-year-old 'maestro'

Abstract

Current literature offers only scant information on very young children who display high attention and engagement in music, but who are not drawn from normal populations. This study of three-year-old Danny, who possesses the neurological disorder Sensory Integration Dysfunction, provides a case study of the types of parent—child interactions that facilitated a high level of involvement with music from a young age. Parent journals, emails, interviews, and observations of the child at his home were analyzed to map out this young child’s musical development from age 2.5 until 3.5 years. Results document the high level of attention and support Danny received from his parents, and suggest an elongation of the period of ‘communicative musicality’ which typifies mother—child bonding in infancy.