Autism and sensory processing disorder: How music and a dog are helping Bay of Plenty families

Music therapist Denby Cabaldon pictured with her client Bella Martin. Photo / Mead Norton

Teenager Bella Martin and 11-year-old William Hooper don't speak. They are "non-verbal," on the autism spectrum and have sensory processing disorder, making it difficult for them to do day-to-day things. Both their Pāpāmoa-based families tell their stories about Bella finding "joy" in music therapy - a new service that has just started in the Bay of Plenty - and William receiving nearly $6000 in funding for a therapy dog which has been "life-changing". Megan Wilson shares how music and a dog have helped them.

Pāpāmoa teenager Bella Martin struggles to go to the supermarket.

Her mother, Tracy Parfitt-Martin, says it is too loud and busy for her, with too much colour and too many smells.

That's because Bella, 18, has sensory processing disorder, which means she is "sensitive to sound, lights, smells and touch".

In addition to this, Bella was born with a very rare chromosome disorder. She has autistic traits, is non-verbal and uses a wheelchair or walking frame.

"It just means Bella's life has been quite hard and quite sheltered," her mother says.

But Bella has since found "joy" and the ability to communicate in music therapy - a new service that is now available in Pāpāmoa through the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust.

Music therapist Denby Cabaldon pictured with her client Bella Martin. Photo / Mead Norton

The trust opened its Bay of Plenty centre on June 7 and offers music therapy services to those with emotional, intellectual, physical or social disabilities.

Tracy said having access to music therapy was "the best thing to happen all year for us".

"To find something my girl looks forward to so much and can do - it's just amazing."

Also living in Pāpāmoa is 11-year-old William Hooper, who has similar struggles to Bella.

His mother, Lisa Hooper, says it is difficult for them to go out as a family due to his anxiety.

About two-and-a-half months ago, William got a therapy dog - Tully - to help manage this.

Lisa said having Tully was "life-changing" and the family had just received a $5825 grant from the Mazda Foundation to help fund Tully, which she was "over the moon" about.

Exploring the world through music

Tracy Parfitt-Martin said Bella had always had a "passion" for music. Tracy found out about the new music therapy centre through a friend and signed Bella up.

At her first session, Bella was "communicating through music" with her therapist within 10 minutes.

"Bella had done things I'd never seen her do before, just because of her [therapist's] love for music.

"For kids like Bella, there's very little outlet for their awesomeness. And this lets that out."

Bella Martin is non-verbal and has sensory processing disorder. Photo / Mead Norton

When asked what the goal was of Bella's weekly therapy sessions, Tracy said "joy".

"I just want her to explore the world through music."

Registered music therapist Denby Cabaldon, who leads the Pāpāmoa centre, said a regular music therapy session would include "hello" and "goodbye" songs as well as playing instruments and some type of movement.

"Some of my clients come in and they'll run straight over to the instruments and just start playing. Then that's how we get to know each other."

Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust's clinical and centre director Jen Glover said music was processed "all around the brain".

For those with neurodevelopmental disorders, Glover said music could tap into parts of the brain and work to grow and develop them.

The centre opened due to "strong demand" from people in the Bay wanting access to music therapy services. The trust already has centres in Auckland, Hawke's Bay and Northland.

When the Ministry for Culture and Heritage announced its Creative Arts Recovery and Employment fund in 2021, the trust applied for and was granted $450,000 to expand its services to the Bay of Plenty.

Bella Martin will go to weekly music therapy sessions at the Raukatauri Music Therapy Trust Bay of Plenty centre. Photo / Mead Norton

William Hooper and his therapy dog Tully

For Lisa Hooper, the "biggest challenge" for her family was going out.

William is non-verbal, which means he "does not speak at all". As he is autistic and has sensory processing disorder, he is sensitive to many things, Lisa said.

"That creates really bad anxiety for him in lots of situations.

"The idea of a therapy dog is to help, really, with William's anxiety and just to create a bit more family time."

The family has just received a $5825 grant from the Mazda Foundation - an initiative which helps Kiwis in need - to help fund William's therapy dog Tully.

11-year-old William Hooper pictured with his therapy dog Tully. Photo / Supplied

Lisa said William's anxiety would sometimes lead to him having a meltdown. When this happened, Tully would sit beside him and comfort him.

She said her younger son Lincoln played rugby and getting William to watch a game was a "mission".

"And now, every Saturday, [William's] there and Tully's there."

Another reason for having Tully was companionship.

"He doesn't have friends like normal children. The long-term would be independence and companionship," Lisa said.

"Hopefully they bond and he gets to a point where he could confidently walk into a supermarket with Tully and buy something when he's a bit older.

"We're still a long way [from] where we'd like to be but it's definitely helped him."

How do therapy dogs help?

Therapy Dogs New Zealand director Wendy Isaacs said therapy dogs were "quite perceptive" and helped children with their anxiety.

"Dogs are quite instinctive and they do sense or perceive changes in a person's anxiety levels."

Therapy Dogs New Zealand has 40 therapy dogs working with families nationally and 10 dogs in a puppy programme, which will eventually become therapy dogs after they are trained. Its therapy dogs help adults with post-traumatic stress, anxiety and depression and children with autism and cerebral palsy.

William Hooper has had Tully for about two-and-a-half months. Photo / Supplied

Isaacs said therapy dogs knew when there was "something different" about someone.

"They could be in a house with four kids and one of them has got autism and they know.

"They'll connect or check in with that child a lot more ... it's quite beautiful to watch.

"Tully will go to him [William] when he's starting to escalate - that's the time when William can't think straight and he's not coping."

Isaacs said demand for therapy dogs was "huge" as Covid had made children and adults more anxious.

What is autism and sensory processing disorder and what does being "non-verbal" mean?

Autism is a neurodevelopmental condition and impacts the development of the nervous system, Autism New Zealand autistic advisor Chanelle Moriah said.

"Our nervous system is the communicator between our body and our brain, so having a condition that affects your nervous system and the development of it means pretty much all areas of who you are is impacted, so that's memory, movement, thought processes, senses.

"Basically, you function differently to most people."

Moriah is autistic, has had non-verbal episodes and has sensory processing disorder.

Speaking from experience, Moriah said when she had non-verbal episodes it was suddenly "physically impossible" to speak.

"I want to communicate, I physically cannot. Not with my words anyway.

"I suddenly lose my ability to use my mouth to communicate. I can write and I can use sign language."

Moriah defined sensory processing disorder as the senses being "amplified", which made going to school or work "incredibly overwhelming".

Moriah's work at Autism New Zealand involves educating employers and workplaces about how to be more accommodating with autistic people. She is also an author and illustrator.