Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASD) will benefit from yoga since it addresses both the physical and emotional symptoms of the disorder.

The typical gross motor delay, low muscle tone and impaired coordination of ASD often result in low self-esteem and lack of confidence which can extend to other areas of life. Yoga is an appropriate and enjoyable physical program which improves strength and tone in the muscles, develops balance, and increases body awareness. Even fine motor skills will be improved as yoga emphasizes being in tune with the entire body, hands and fingers, feet and toes.

Children with ASD may also suffer from sensory issues including sensitivity to light, noise, taste, texture, or smell. Furthermore, they may repeat movements that seem uncontrollable (stim behaviours). Yoga can help with these symptoms by soothing the nervous system and allowing pent-up energy to be released from the body in a non-competitive, peaceful manner. 

The breathing techniques and guided visualization exercises also assist by reducing stress, teaching coping techniques, and providing a sense of calm and acceptance. Once a child has learned some of these exercises they can use them anytime, anywhere.

When teaching yoga, take things slowly, introducing poses incrementally as comfort levels allow. Work on basic poses (Mountain, Tree, Cat, Warrior, etc.) and breathing exercises. Build one pose at a time, gradually adding more options.

To create visual stimulation and connections, line up stuffed animals or pictures of animals at the front of the room. Follow the line of animals, doing the pose for each in turn, creating an effective pattern. A similar exercise is to place the stuffed animals or pictures in a pile and have them picked at random, doing the corresponding pose each time.

Music is also a powerful tool for children with ASD because it provokes engagement and interest. Drumming, chanting, singing and moving to music are effective ways to engage individuals and helps to stimulate the emotional center of the brain.

A fantastic resource for teachers or parents wanting to use yoga for children with ASD is Yoga For Children With Autism Spectrum Disorder by Dion E. Betts. For further information regarding Autism Spectrum Disorders, visit the Autism Society of Canada or Autism Today, which has over 2,500 articles and many resources.

Watch for more articles on this important topic with expert in yoga for children with autism Rachel Greb of Yoga Sprouts. Subscribe through RSS or e-mail today so as not to miss a single one.

Lori Lite of Stress Free Kids.

Listen to my interview from BlogTalkRadio with Stress Free Kids Author Lori Lite!

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Here in Alberta, Canada we notice the solstices. Today the sun will rise at 8:48 am and set at 4:16 pm local time. Yes, you read those times correctly. Not quite 71/2 hours of daylight. It’ll be dark as you go to work/school and dark as you come home. For someone who loves the sun and thrives in the long days of summer, this is a challenging time of year. I am always thrilled when the Winter Solstice arrives because it means that we will now gain daylight minutes with each new dawn.

With the darkness of the early hours around me I have enjoyed two wonderful posts about how to take care of yourself during these long, cold, dark days of winter. Both of which come from the always engaging elephant journal.

Winter Solstice = Kidney Kindness by Cora Wen

Provides Chinese medical insight into the solstice and how to nourish your kidneys living in harmony with the seasons and your body’s natural rhythms

Winter Solstice Yoga by Nancy Adler

Yin yoga explained with some wonderful pose suggestions to help you stay on your mat during the winter, using it as a time for rest and renewal

Until the sun begins to shine in at least equal amounts each day I will continue to ingest copious amounts of vitamin D supplements, try to appreciate the natural ebb and flow of energy levels, take care of my body with respect and compassion, and follow the advice of these sage women.

A recent article in The Oakland Tribune reports on the power of yoga to help relieve stress in schools in the South Bay area: a tough part of town known for gangs, drugs, violence and low socio-economic conditions. It started as a pilot project and how extends to a 6 weeks program for entire Freshman class. Administrators, parents and students who have participated have noticed a difference in how they manage stress. 14-year-old Gina de la Rosa recently stepped away from a classroom confrontation after remembering to breathe and realised, “I don’t have to scare teachers.”

At schools hard hit by neighborhood violence, gang pressure, parental job loss and homelessness, the centuries-old Indian discipline of yoga may turn out to be an effective tool in helping young people cope with both crises and day-to-day life.

This is great news for everyone. The more teens who can be exposed to yoga and access its benefits, the more can use the breathing exercises, relaxation techniques and asanas to cope with the stress of growing up in the modern age. The four years of high school are often considered the most stressful time of life. Providing youth with tools to stay calm, manage their anger, and combat the negative effects of stress is vital.

Yoga is well known for its stress busting qualities but many teens don’t have access to the practice. Yoga classes geared especially for teens needs and interests are often hard to come by so this program is great news. And taking it to kids in high risk neighbourhoods – FANTASTIC!  Street Yogais another program doing similar work. If you are interested in helping de-stress teens, a great resource to help teens manage stress while building self-esteem is Indigo Teen Dreams by Stress Free Kids.

I think Alejandro Adame, 14, an Overfelt freshman, summed it up best when he said, “You just take a moment to not get angry.” Now if we all can simply follow his example.

Next week, my husband is taking me to Montreal. Yippee! I’ve wanted to go since grade school and finally have a chance to explore, discover, and shop in this beautiful city. Can’t wait.

However, that also means leaving four kids with a sitter with calendar, prepared meals, clean clothes in the drawers, rides to extra-curricular activities arranged, and all the makings for healthy school lunches available. Mix in having the house completely under control for someone else to live in, rearranging my schedule so that I can drop everything during the hectic month of December,  and being at least semi-prepared for the last week of school before Christmas break. Add to that, my husband’s and niece’s birthdays. And for good measure a rounded portion of trying to get my book finalized and to the printer before I leave. Voilà: a recipe for STRESS.

So I was wonderfully pleased when YogaMint sent out this lovely Keep Cool affirmation video and spent six luxurious minutes breathing my way to calm, cool bliss. It also helped remind me how beautiful winter can be as we head into the deep freeze with snow flurries.

A teen’s life is full of change, stress, peer conflicts, relationships, academics, part-time jobs, life altering decisions, and discovering oneself. Yoga can be instrumental in assisting teens in becoming their best selves and dealing with the daily challenges of this chaotic time of life.

There are three principle areas in which yoga can benefit teenagers: Physically, mentally, and emotionally.

Physically

Teenagers’ bodies are undergoing tremendous changes. Their hormones are all over the place and they are going from children’s sizes to adult sizes in everything from shoes to dinner entries. Yoga helps teens deal with these radical changes. By strengthening the body as it grows, the proper form and alignment is created. Yoga helps tone the entire body including the key core muscles which will aid in coordination, balance and good posture. Natural flexibility is also improved as yoga lengthens muscles and increases mobility in the joints. Additionally yoga will help equalize energy. It helps to revitalize low energy and tempers hyperactivity which leads to more even moods and energy levels. Another way yoga helps teens is to develop healthy sleeping patterns. Yoga helps regulate sleep/wake rhythms allowing for deeper, more restful sleep and a greater sense of vitality when awake. This is especially helpful for teens as they are busy growing and need all the rest they can get.

Mentally

The number one way yoga helps teens mentally is with creating a healthy body image. Yoga focuses on an internal perspective. As teens recognize their attributes and begin to value their contributions they value themselves more. They develop gratitude for what their body can do and are less critical of themselves and others. They then transfer this inner work to their outer body and see themselves in a more positive light. Yoga also helps develop discipline and will power. Introspection leads to an understanding of self on a deeper level with clarity coming for what is important and of value. As teens recognize these life goals, they learn to say ‘no’ to destructive behaviours and ‘yes’ to positive ones. This is very powerful and will help them make choices that respect who they are, and what they truly want from life, instead of making choices based on following their peers or on rebelling from their parents.

Emotionally

Reducing stress is one of yoga’s greatest benefits and it applies to teens as well. Teen’s lives are packed with stress. School, exams, schedules, peers, girl/boy friends, family relationships, their future, etc . are all vying for attention. Yoga helps by decreasing the stress response while increasing the production of feel good hormones such as oxytocin. This change in hormones and neurotransmitters results in improved mood and sense of well-being. In addition, yoga increases compassion. Learning to live with peace, love and kindness for self and others is a crucial aspect of yoga practice. Yoga builds upon teen’s connections with others and the world through partner poses and breathing exercises. Yoga also allows teens to unplug. In our technologically driven world permission to turn it off and rest is vital. This time is crucial to understanding the chaotic world in which they live.

This is a general overview of some of the benefits yoga offers to teens which are specific to their needs, lives and unique life situations. For a full discussion of the many benefits of yoga for teens listen to this audio podcast. Or follow this checklist for All You Need to Do to Have a Rockin’ Teen Yoga Class and start bringing teens the benefits of yoga today.