Professional musician Robin Spielberg says music saved her daughter’s life.
In 1998, Spielberg was pregnant with twin girls when she suffered complications. An emergency cesarean was performed during the 22nd week of pregnancy. Sadly, one of the twins passed away, but Valerie survived.
Valerie was born weighing only 12 ounces and was the size of a can of soda. She was so small that she didn’t meet the hospital’s premature baby weight limit necessary to receive life-saving treatment. A kind nurse put her thumb on the scale and recorded her weight at 17 ounces, just enough to make her eligible to receive medical support.
It was touch and go. To make matters worse, the hospital was very loud and busy. Spielberg thought it felt more like an emergency room than a healing environment. She wanted to drown out the hustle and bustle of the hospital.
She couldn’t bring her piano, so she played CDs for her daughter. Amazingly, Valerie improved. Her oxygen saturation levels increased, her blood pressure stabilized, and her heart’s rhythm became more steady. This wasn’t a fluke – it happened again and again for four months. And it affected all of the other babies in the room as well. Valerie’s health continued to improve after months of music and medical attention.
People have been using music and rhythm to heal since ancient times. It is finally starting to catch on in modern society.
One study of 272 premature babies showed that vital signs could be improved through interactive sounds and music therapy.
Music isn’t only beneficial for babies. Studies show that music is able to ease pain, enhance blood vessel function, reduce stress and depression, and boost the immune system in adults, too. Music also helps elderly people with Alzheimer’s disease and dementia to recall memories and emotions. It can even help them make new memories.
Having seen the amazing impact music had on her baby, Spielberg began working alongside music therapists. She also volunteered in nursing homes, where she once inspired a mute man to speak with music. The elderly man’s wife had passed away, and the pain seemed too much for him to handle. He had withdrawn from the world and hadn’t spoken in 6 months. When Spielberg unknowingly played his wedding song, the man broke out of his shell. He began singing and then asked to speak with his family.
Spielberg is still a professional musician. And these days, she also teaches and speaks to audiences about the power of music. Her daughter, Valerie, is now a healthy and happy young woman. And she has become a musician herself, playing both the piano and percussion.
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Professional musician Robin Spielberg says music saved her daughter’s life. In 1998, Spielberg was pregnant with twin girls. She had an emergency birth. Sadly, one of the twins passed away. Valerie survived. Valerie was the size of a can of soda. The hospital had a weight limit to receive life-saving treatment. Valerie was too light. A kind nurse put her thumb on the scale so she could get medical support. It was touch and go. To make matters worse, the hospital was very loud. Spielberg thought it felt more like an emergency room than a place for healing. She wanted to drown out the hustle and bustle of the hospital. She couldn’t bring her piano, so she played CDs for her daughter. Valerie improved. Her oxygen levels increased. Her blood pressure improved. Her heart’s rhythm became more steady. It also affected all of the other babies in the room. Valerie’s health continued to improve after months of music. People have been using music and rhythm to heal since ancient times. It is finally starting to catch on in modern times. Music isn’t only helpful for babies. Studies show that music can reduce pain and improve blood vessels. It can also reduce stress and depression. Spielberg began working with music therapists. She also volunteered in nursing homes. She once helped a mute man to speak with music. The elderly man’s wife had passed away. The pain seemed too much for him to handle. He hadn’t spoken in 6 months. When Spielberg played his wedding song, the man broke out of his shell. He began singing and then asked to speak with his family. These days, Spielberg teaches people about the power of music. Her daughter, Valerie, is now a healthy and happy young woman. And she has become a musician herself. Read More 5 Ways Music Improves Our Health 20 surprising, science-backed health benefits of music
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