Yoga for Children with Special Needs

There is now considerable evidence that mind-body practices, such as yoga, can have beneficial effects on the mental and physical health of children and adolescents.  

The development and application of meditation and yoga-based activities are now being offered in schools to improve students’ mental and physical health and well-being. 

 
Practices such as yoga and meditation induce changes in brain structure and function, which can enhance skills, such as self-regulation cognitive skills and lead to improvements in students’ performance.  

Yoga practices have the potential to play a fundamental role in enhancing the quality of children’s education and recent government initiatives have focused on educating the whole child and suggest that teaching yoga in schools is an important part of that movement.   

Yoga helps children develop:

​Strength, flexibility, balance, concentration, focus and attention,  breath control relaxation and self-control, inner strength,  spacial and body awareness,  confidence and self-esteem, creativity and imagination whilst experiencing a sense of Peace and Well-Being.

Parents, teachers and medical professionals are beginning to recognise the benefits of yoga for young people with special needs.

Using adapted yoga postures, breathing techniques and sound therapies, individually designed programmes are created for the child, focusing on their abilities, capabilities and particular needs, not on their disabilities.

The wonderful thing is that yoga can help a child whatever stage they are with their condition, it offers something new to children with special needs and it allows them to be able to do some of the things that able-bodied people can do.

‘Yoga for Special Needs’ is gentle and therapeutic – safe for babies, children and teens with developmental disabilities including Down syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Autism, ADD, ADHD and those deaf/blind sensory impairments.

The simple and fun yoga programme is designed to increase cognitive and motor skills, improve concentration and reduce hyperactivity.   The stretching, breathing and singing help promote the child's focus and help them to feel more connected to, and comfortable within their bodies.

This style of yoga provides an adaptive programme to enhance harmoniously the natural development of children with special needs. It is gentle and therapeutic – safe for babies and children with a range of developmental disabilities including Cerebral Palsy, Autism, Down Syndrome and many other conditions. This gentle approach also provides effective therapy for children diagnosed with ADHD, ADD, and other Learning Disabilities.

This unique therapeutic yoga method of postures, breathing techniques and sound therapies, helps to stretch and tone the muscles, develop the child's focus, bring a sense of well-being and help them to feel more relaxed. Yoga has been proven to enhance the lives of children with special needs and provide considerable support for their families and carers.

One-to-one yoga sessions are ideal for less abled children and small groups can be conducted for more able-bodied students.

Please contact me for a chat about how Yoga can help your child with special needs.

Direct Payments Scheme

As I am accredited with Somerset County Council and my Yoga Therapy is recommended by social workers, parents/carers/schools can use their Direct Payments Funding for the yoga sessions

You can also find me on the Somerset Choices SEND services via the link below

https://beta.somerset.gov.uk/send/wendy-sugg/

Price  £50.00 per hour.  (Street & Glastonbury areas)  

If you live further away, travel expenses will be incurred, please get in touch with me to discuss.