Yoga for families with special children

Special Benefits of Yoga for Children on the Autistic Spectrum, or with Attention Needs

The special work includes the whole family:
An integrated series of balanced Yoga poses to increase body awareness, strength and flexibility
Personal Yoga techniques are designed to enhance the natural development of special (needs) families
Access Consciousness Bars body work for parents and kids
My style of Yoga is gentle and therapeutic — safe for babies and children with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Autism and other developmental disabilities.

These methods also provide an effective solution for children diagnosed with Attention Deficit Disorder, ADHD and Learning Disabilities and their families.

  • Specialized breathing exercises and relaxation techniques to improve concentration and reduce hyperactivity
  • Counters ‘low tone’ (poor muscle coordination) that is characteristic of many children with ASD’s.
  • Calms the mind and eases tension, which may help counteract perseveration (such as hand flapping). Certain asanas or breathing techniques may be more suitable substitutes for disruptive perseverations, such as doing shoulder rolls, or concentrating on the breath.
  • With practice, yoga is a tool a person can use to calm one’s self rather than always relying on others in daily life.
  • Because yoga teaches a child coping mechanisms he can use himself, he can use them without the help of a parent or an aide. This also helps ease caregiver stress.
  • Yoga is a wonderful activity you and your child can enjoy together; it helps both of you!
  • Yoga in a restful atmosphere, with dim lights and quiet music, provides a respite for overloaded sensory systems. Additionally, the use of eye pillows helps block out visual distractions.
  • Yoga is non-competitive, even with one’s self. Children with ASD’s may shy away from physical activities where they feel inferior to their peers.
  • A passive yoga practice can be customized even for a child who cannot follow verbal commands, with the help of a parent.
  • Balancing poses are excellent for cultivating improved concentration and focus. Also, a main goal of yoga is to ‘Do What You Are Doing’; focusing on your yoga asana and how you are feeling only. This is great practice for reigning in wandering thoughts typical of spectrum or ADD/ADHD kids.