When I began to teach yoga classes for children some of the
calls that came in began to take on a similar pattern. After I explained the
time, location and cost of class, the caller paused, waiting to tell me something
about their child. I knew what was coming. The concerned parent was going to
tell me about a “special need” her child was suspected of having, or had been
diagnosed with. The range of “special needs” was extensive. Tactile dysfunction,
proprioception disorders, vestibular dysfunction (possibly related to ear
infections), brain damage, auditory processing difficulties, heightened sensory
perception, autism spectrum disorders, childhood anxiety, ADD/ADHD or maybe
something new to me. Often, a mix of two or three of these was discussed.
If a child had been diagnosed, the services available may be
limited. Sometimes children would not or could not be included in traditional
activities at the local gyms or karate studios. Sometimes these children
focused programs were so geared to normally developing children they were not
helpful or problematic. Always the parent, usually the mother, was searching
for something they could not put their finger on. They wanted a program their
child could be nurtured in and have some personal attention. They wanted a
place where their child’s disability was recognized but not obsessed over or
overly focused on. Of course they wanted the child to have fun but at the same
time should not be over stimulated.
Yoga is perfect. My classes quickly became very inclusive.
If you looked in the window you would never know there were children with all
sorts of special needs practicing yoga. It looked like any children’s program
with exercises, music, snacks, art, craft projects and the ubiquitous treasure
box. There were plenty of normally developing children. The best part is no one
knew anything about any other child’s history. Not the other yoga students, not
the other parents.
As a yoga teacher it is important to be aware of possible
abnormalities in “normal” and undiagnosed students too. Often children with
special needs are not diagnosed or labeled for years. This does not mean they
are developing normally. This can simply be a matter of finances (diagnosed
children are eligible for many expensive health and education services some
organizations may not wish to pay for) or just to put off labeling and wait to
see if the child will “grow out of it.”
All yoga teachers planning to teach children should pursue
continuing education about as many special needs as possible. The availability and expense of quality continuing education in
special developmental needs for children is very limited in the yoga world. I
recommend local colleges for continuing education, as they will most likely
provide the most current information and current research in the area of
special needs. It is very inexpensive to take a course at the community college
and many are offered online.
As yoga teachers we meet the student where they are, even
those students with special needs. Yoga education and research has not even
begun to dive into this rich area of potential healing for children and
families. My experience tells me yoga, safely and consciously taught, is more
than a fun, inclusive activity for children with special conditions. It is a
modality with great healing potential for the whole family and we have not even
scratched the surface of what we can do.
© Beth Daugherty, M.S., M.A., E-RYT, CPF, LVCYT
BIO: Beth Daugherty, M.S., M.A., E-RYT, CPF, LVCYT is the founder
and owner of Lifespan Yoga™. We teach gentle yoga classes including students
with a variety of special conditions: MS, depression, anxiety, cancer, brain
damage, fibromyalgia, ADD, or ADHD. We also teach chair yoga for people with
mobility issues. Beth serves as Executive Director of the Christina Phipps
Foundation, a foundation training yoga teachers to work with cancer patients.
See complete bio and consulting rates at www.lifespanyoga.com
or email info@lifespanyoga.com. See
her blog at http://lifespanyoga.blogspot.com
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