Yoga+for+Children+with+Special+Needs

[] Yoga for the Special Child is a yoga program specifically designed to enhance the development of children with special needs, including children with Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, ADHD and other developmental disabilities. The program was originally developed by Sonia Sumar in 1970, who started teaching yoga to children with special needs after she noticed an improved difference in her own daughter who was born with Down syndrome. Since then the Yoga program has taken off around the world but it has not yet really hit Australia yet. Many parents that have children enrolled in this Yoga program have noticed a huge improvement in their children’s development; the website publishes some letters they have been received from thankful parents. The program includes
 * A variety of yoga poses that increase body awareness, strength and flexibility
 * Breathing exercises and relaxation techniques that can improve concentration and reduce hyperactivity
 * An early intervention program can assure the healthy formative development of infants and toddlers

I debated for a while whether Yoga for the Special Child could actually be classified as a teaching resource. However, I decided that because the benefits of this program can enhance a child with special needs’ natural development, concentration and reduce hyperactivity that I would use it as it has benefits in the classroom, even though it is done outside of the classroom. The website lists a number of disabilities and discusses the characteristics of each of those disabilities and then lists the different ways that yoga can help. For example “The first step in teaching Yoga to a student with autism is to establish a strong bond with the child. To do this the Yoga teacher will need to enter the world that the child lives in -- to meet the child on his or her own level, so to speak. Only then will the teacher be able to gain the child’s complete confidence. Massage, music, dance, rhymes and stories are someof the different techniques that the teacher can use to connect with the child. As student and teacher gradually develop a foundation of mutual trust and friendship, the Yoga teacher can introduce some of the Yoga poses (asanas) and breathing exercises (pranayama)that will help to bring the child with autism out of his or her shell and into the world of social interaction....” (Yoga for the Special Child LLC, 2009)

The website even identifie sa program for students with dyslexia that can improve the eyes abilities tofocus and recognize words.

I thought that this program was very interesting and due to the success that many parents are having with it I thought it would be a good resource to share. A teacher at a special needs school could actually incorporate Yoga into the curriculum or do it as a PE unit. Likewise teachers at a mainstream school could use yoga as a PE unit or an inside alternative on cold and rainy days. By having the background knowledge of the principles of the yoga program a teacher could even do some breathing exercises with a student who is losing concentration while in class as well. Yoga for children with special needs can improve physical development so that students may be able to participate more fully in classroom activities, but is also can improve academic outcomes as the child has improved concentration and reduced hyperactivity. There are many other websites that discuss the benefits of Yoga for special children that can be looked at.

This yoga program can be used with children at any age but it would be ideal that the children are still at an age were they are not fully developed. This will mean that the program is more successful as it can improve the development of the children as well as having classroom benefits. References:

Yoga for the SpecialChild LLC, 2009, viewed 18/07/2011 []