Child Life Music Therapy Program

Help support pediatric patients and their families in the hospital express themselves through music. Alongside a board-certified music therapist, patients use self-expression and music making to meet their physical, emotional, cognitive, and social needs. Music therapy in the pediatric setting helps children and their families to cope with illness and the hospital experience. It allows children to take an active part in their own healing. Music therapy can benefit patients in the following ways: pain/anxiety management, support the development of infants and young children, normalize the hospital environment, enhance coping, provide opportunities for self-expression and awareness, and promote bonding while creating positive memories with children and their family.

In addition to individual sessions, music-based groups provide patients with the opportunity for socialization with peers and a sense of community while hospitalized. Hospitalization, especially as a child, can feel very isolating away from family and friends and music group provides a sense of community through music-making and connection through music.

Generous donations help fund resources and expand the music therapy program’s free services.

TO MAKE A GIFT BY MAIL, please make a check payable to UC Davis Foundation and mail it to UC Davis Health Sciences Development & Alumni Relations PO Box 160186, Sacramento, CA 95816. In the check memo line, please indicate the name of the fund your gift supports.