The Washington University Neurofibromatosis (NF) Center, in collaboration with our partners at Jazz St. Louis and the St. Louis Children’s Hospital Foundation, recently completed the 2019 Beat NF Spring Session. Toddler participants enjoyed five weeks of a jazz music motor therapy curriculum utilizing jazz music and physical therapy to promote social, attention, and motor skills in toddlers with NF1, while also fostering healthy parent-child interactions, peer relationships, and jazz appreciation.
Together with Jazz St. Louis education staff, the Washington University NF Center has developed this one-of-a-kind therapy program that specifically focused on frequently delayed skills in young children with NF1. During each session, local jazz musicians play live music, while the children review social engagement rules as a group, learn about a “mystery instrument”, and engage in gross and fine motor therapy. Educators and musicians from Jazz St. Louis compose and play original music expressly written for these activities. In addition, Beat NF Team members carefully design each week’s program to work on improving particular social and motor delays in toddlers with NF1.
Please join us for the Fall 2019 Beat NF Session (October-November 2019, dates to be determined). For more information about Beat NF or upcoming events, please contact us at nf@wustl.edu.
– Jennifer Traber, NF Center Coordinator