Why can music be useful for supporting communication in young children with autism?

In the context of music therapy, music is a powerful tool for supporting communication in young children with autism because these children are often naturally drawn to music, even when they show minimal response to spoken language or environmental sounds.1

When music successfully captures a child's attention, it serves as a foundation for developing communication and social skills. Through approaches like Nordoff-Robbins music therapy, a therapist can turn a child's spontaneous vocalizations into a nonverbal dialogue. This interaction mirrors the natural prelingual communication between infants and caregivers, incorporating essential developmental elements such as turn-taking, repetition, and the expansion of vocal productions. By establishing this musical context, therapists can prompt children to engage in specific responses, effectively bridging the gap toward speech and language development.1