Music therapist tailors sessions to help child with rare genetic mutation

GOOSE CREEK, S.C. (WCBD) — Most of us listen to it while driving in the car or while showing off our best moves on the dance floor, but music is more than just singing and dancing.

Jennifer Gossett, owner of Noteworthy Music Therapy, is a music therapist who is tailoring her sessions to help manage a range of conditions and improve the quality of life for children locally.

“We have a whole list of songs that have the ooh-ooh sound in it a lot; when she finds one that she likes, she will sing along with it,” said Gossett.

Many songs are played during the music therapy sessions, including the popular song, Havana by Camila Cabello and it’s one of 11-year-old Annslee Sander’s favorite songs that’s often played on repeat on her playlist.

“We still want to promote the idea of using her voice because she physically can make sounds,” explains Gossett.

Sanders was diagnosed with STXBP1 gene mutation, a rare genetic mutation.

“Because of the rarity of the diagnosis she has, she is definitely the first child that I have worked with, with that particular diagnosis. And so taking the time to assess, you know, her strengths, her weaknesses, how she responds, what challenges her and in consultation with her other therapist on the team to be able to determine how can we integrate music into that to help her reach those goals,” said Gossett.

Once a music teacher now a music therapist, she found her inspiration to make the switch through her child who is autistic.

“Music is that universal language that we all respond to, people of all cultures, all ages, all cognitive and developmental levels respond inherently to hearing music, want to participate in music, it changes our mood, it’s motivating to us, and so the same is definitely true for the clients that I work with,” said Gossett.

During the one-hour session, you can watch Sanders clapping, singing, even shaking some maracas and listening to one of her favorites the Macarena.

“She, more than any client I’ve ever had in my time, you know more than ten years in music therapy, responds to music and is so excited and motivated and just lights up and everything is better in her world,” explains Gossett. And it’s community organizations like Carolina Children’s Charity that help local children with birth defects and other childhood diseases like Sanders.

“Very rarely is something like music therapy going to be recognized and covered as a service under insurance for most families or even Medicaid that most children with disabilities qualify for. The parents will say … do you take Medicaid? It’s not a question of if I take it, it’s a question that they won’t take us,” said Sanders.

The organization helps children connect through music by providing funding for local families.

“Right so, we’re so especially here in the Charleston area, so blessed and thankful to have organizations like Carolina Children’s Charity whose whole purpose is to support the families, the children to get these services, these tangible objects, pieces of equipment that they need that’s going to benefit them so much that might be out of reach otherwise if they had to just pay out of pocket,” said Gossett.