YOGA FOR CHILDREN OF ALL ABILITIES Tips for Parents and Teachers what is YOGA Yoga is recognized as a “mind-body” therapy by the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine of the National Institutes of Health as well as the World Health Organization. Mind body therapies focus on the relationships between the brain, behavior, health and disease. Yoga, an ancient science, means “union” and was developed In India over 5,000 years ago Practicing both asanas (poses) and pranayama (breathing) exercises help create a balance between the mind and body. Classic yoga poses can be representative of animals and objects in the environment, and children naturally imitate what they see 1 around them . Hundreds of yoga poses stimulate imagination and enhance physical and neurological skills. Studies have demonstrated improvement in children’s verbal and spatial memory and motor performance following yoga practice in both healthy children and those with developmental disabilities. W they are required to follow directions and learn new to anxious learners. Yet classroom learning is difficult without these constraints. There are few opportunities in the curriculum to train students in self control and focusing the mind. Yoga provides the control and development of gross motor skills the ability to transition from one activity to another self awareness, self discipline and self esteem skills. Children are expected to succeed. Sitting still, paying attention, and staying on task are not skills that come easily sensory processing and enhances a sense of personal space hen children enter school, they transition from self directed play to being in a structured classroom where Why Should Yoga improves: Children Do Yoga? While practicing yoga postures and breathing control, the child learns to be aware of breathing, movement and focus on the moment. Over time, yoga practice results in: increased strength stamina flexibility balance relaxation concentration communication and relationship skills inner harmony opportunity to maintain a balance among intellectual performance, imagination and play2. Successful yoga programs with children include games and designated departures from quiet and stillness to allow students to release pent-up energy and concentrate more intensely afterwards. They do not focus on perfect performance, but alignment and safety are continually addressed. Each child is allowed to make mistakes and learn from them with assistance from a certified, sensitive instructor providing props and/or modifications to poses. Yoga is practiced in a non-competitive setting that supports children of all abilities. Heidi Feldman, pediatrician, Ph.D. and certified yoga instructor at Children’s Hospital in Pittsburgh, states that “inclusion education benefits children with developmental disorders as well as children developing typically [who become] role models, particularly in terms of communication, behavioral regulation and social skills [and] learn to practice compassion and appreciate the diversity of the human experience3.” Yoga has been studied and recommended as a complementary and alternative medical intervention to address the following and other conditions: Headaches Constipation Stroke Low Back Pain Autism & ADD/ADHD Asthma & other pulmonary dysfunctions Cancer Cerebral Palsy Cardiovascular & cardiopulmonary disease Diabetes Type 2 Down Syndrome End Stage Renal Disease Anxiety & Depression Hypotonia References 1. Vilchez-Blatt, S., Hester-Smith, A., Phillips, JC. Karma Kids Yoga Teacher Training Course Manual; Karma Kids Yoga, LLC 2008. Karma Kids Yoga, 104 West 14th Street, NY, NY. 2. Goldberg, L., Creative Relaxation: A Yoga-Based Program for Regular and Exceptional Student Education. International Journal of Yoga Therapy 2004; No.14: 68-77. 3. Feldman, H., Teaching Yoga to School-Aged Children: Principles and Personal Experiences. International Journal of Yoga Therapy 2005: No.15: 87-95. Galantino, ML, Galbavy, R, Quinn, L. Therapeutic Effects of Yoga for children: A Systematic Review of the Literature. Pediatric Physical Therapy 2008;20: 66-80 Luby, Thia. Children’s Book of Yoga, Games and Exercises Mimic Plants and Animals.1998 Clear Light Publishers, Santa Fe, NM. Prussing, E., Sobo, EJ, Walker, E., Dennis, K. Communicating with Pediatricians about Complementary/ Alternative Medicine: Perspectives From Parents of Children With Down Syndrome. Ambulatory Pediatrics 2004; Vol.4: 488-494. Brown, KA, Patel, DR. Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Developmental Disabilities. Indian Journal of Pediatrics Nov. 2005; Vol.72 (11):940-52. Wahbeh, H., Elsas, SM., Oken, B. Mind-Body Interventions, Applications in Neurology. Neurology 2008; Vol.70: 2321-2328. http://www.ncpad.org/videos/fact_sheet.php?sheet=347&view=all