Parents Zone

Benefits of Yoga For Special Needs Children

Do you have a special needs child?

Yoga poses, deep relaxation breathing and massage techniques can help reduce the high muscle tone that is characteristic of most children with a physical disability as well as help children with intellectual disabilities to release pent up anger and frustrations. Children with disabilities often experience muscular problems which can lead to a lack of sleep, among other issues. Through regular use of yoga and massage, children and their parents will soon be getting a good night’s sleep.

Yoga poses are designed to enhance the natural development of children with special needs and gives the muscles and tendons a relaxing stretch, releasing overall stress and tightness throughout the muscle structure and around the joints. Massage eases stiffness and improves mobility, flexibility and muscle tone.
Yoga is about connecting the mind, body and soul and by these three aspects working together, balance and alignment is brought to our human nature. Conventional methods have always treated the body or the mind, whereas, alternative methods like yoga and massage treat all three elements. Without addressing the spirit nature of a child they can never be complete therefore the mind, body and soul connection is imperative to children with special needs.

Yoga is an effective therapy that aides children with disabilities in developing greater concentration, cognitive and motor skills as well as reducing hyperactivity. Breathing exercises and massage eliminates excess phlegm and strengthens the respiratory system. By doing diaphragmatic and belly breathing, the digestive system is improved and constipation is relieved.

Some other benefits of yoga and massage therapy include:

• Easing stiff joints and tight muscles
• Tones muscles and ‘tightens up’ the muscles and joints of those with a “floppy” muscle structure
• Muscle atrophy (wasting) caused by forced inactivity can be delayed
• Promotes relaxation, physically and psychologically
• Improves the nutrients brought to the muscle
• The body’s metabolism improves
• Improves the quality of your child’s everyday life
• Allows a normal pattern of movement to resume
• A great sense of well-being and renewed sense of confidence within your child can be produced

Only movement can improve the movement of our joints, there is no ‘magic pill’, without movement the muscles and the joints become stiffer. Therefore using a combination of yoga and massage therapy at the least will bring some relief to your child’s muscles and at the most will do all of the above and boost your child’s self-esteem!
A yoga and massage play therapy session makes use of brightly coloured illustrations, animal and fairy tale themed yoga poses and sound therapy to foster a child’s imaginative skills, allowing for creative expression whilst gaining body awareness, inner peace and improving a child’s health and fitness. This form of therapy is—a form of play that can help children heal.
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