Yoga for the Special Child

Yoga for the Special Child®

Yoga for the Special Child® LLC, The Sonia Sumar Method is a hands-on and integrated system of yoga techniques designed to increase basic motor, cognitive and communication skills in children with developmental and physical disabilities such as, Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Spina Bifida, as well as children with autism spectrum disorders, ADHD and ADD. Early intervention enhances the healthy and optimal growth of infants and toddlers. But, it is never too late to reap the benefits of yoga. Private yoga sessions, group yoga classes and teacher training for adults available.

Childrens Programs

Adult Programs

I specialize in teaching yoga to children and I am particularly interested in working with children with special needs because the benefits are so clearly identifiable. I began teaching yoga twenty-five years ago because it seemed a natural progression and synthesis of fifty years of either studying or teaching movement. I have always been fascinated by movement either as a dancer, who studied to reproduce it in my own body and to express myself or, as a teacher, who focuses on helping students to move their bodies more efficiently.
Practicing yoga added a whole new dimension to my movement experience and taught me, among others, breath control and the benefits of stillness. This has had a profound impact on my health, awareness and sense of well-being. It led me to seek out Sonia Sumar, a pioneer in teaching yoga to children with special needs. It piqued my curiosity to learn more about how yoga can benefit children with physical and developmental challenges.

Sensory integration requires the brain to receive, organize, interpret and use the enormous amount of sensory information that pervades the body and the neurological system through both internal and external stimuli. Information from all the senses, movement of the head and body and gravity have to be assimilated before children can effectively function in the world.(2) Children with learning and behavior problems often have poor motor planning abilities and hampered movement. Furthermore, these children may be hyperactive, appear clumsy because of poor muscle control, lack a sense of balance or may be unable to copy from a chalk board. Children who show signs of poor sensory integration can begin to improve function by developing their tactile or proprioceptive systems, that is, their sense of touch or movement.(2)
          Movement plays a crucial role in brain development before and after birth stimulating the sensory-motor pathways.(2) Enhanced motor development enables children to sit still, read, write or kick a ball. Attaining agility and grace depends on having a stimulating environment, persistently repeating activities and regular physical exercise which is essential for a child to reach important motor development milestones.(2)   In addition, imitation is a very powerful and enduring form of learning.(4) And so, with regular practice, yoga can help children with developmental and physical challenges gain greater concentration, balance, and composure in their daily lives.
           Sonia Sumar is the founder and director of the Yoga for the Special Child program.   Ms. Sumar has developed a step-by-step, hands on integrated system designed to enhance the natural development of children, toddlers and infants with, i.e. Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy and Spina Bifida, as well as children with learning challenges, autism spectrum disorders, ADHD and ADD. Her syllabus consists of four remedial stages designed for special yoga students. Each stage focuses on a different phase of the child’s development.(12) The most advanced phase is the Imitative Stage, which is geared towards a child that has developed physical independence. It includes hatha yoga poses, responsive singing, breathing techniques, eye exercises, and deep relaxation.

Yoga postures balance muscle tone, improve gross and fine motor skills, coordination, muscle control, locomotion and endurance. They also tone and purify internal organs of toxins and waste and the nervous and endocrine systems are balanced to help control inappropriate impulses.   Holding postures for a shorter period of time is energizing and holding postures for a longer period of time is calming.
          Flexibility and agility yield very important benefits to all people including young bodies. Additionally, elongating muscle receptors releases serotonin, a chemical in the brain that neutralizes stress.   Serotonin helps us to feel tranquil, alert and better able to cope with change. It also enhances memory by locking in information.(1)
          Yoga poses maintain the health of the spinal column as well as contiguous muscles and joints.   Poorly aligned muscles in the neck, shoulders and trunk will require greater effort to produce movement and create chronic muscular tension. A restricted rib cage and diaphragm will inhibit respiration.   A flexible and properly aligned spine is necessary to perform movements efficiently and will help a child breathe more easily with less effort.(11)
More detailed information is included below, on the benefits of hatha yoga poses and the areas they affect based on the Satchidananda Ashram Intermediate Integral Hatha Yoga Manual, Personal Communication and my own observations teaching yoga to children.

Standing postures greatly improve the efficiency of the muscular, circulatory, respiratory, digestive, endocrine and nervous systems. They build overall strength and flexibility, elongate the spine and support good body alignment. As a result, I have observed that the child is energized and develops stability.

Balancing postures develop emotional and physical balance, muscle control and body awareness. They improve concentration, determination, patience and stability. I have observed that this helps the child to feel grounded and calm.
Flexion poses or forward bends lengthen the spine, preserve the space between each vertebra and keep it properly aligned. The front of the body is compressed which encourages deep exhalation which is calming and helps to decrease feelings of anxiety and fear. The abdominal organs are nourished with fresh blood to keep the digestive system and the organs of elimination healthy. Sitting forward bends improve flexibility in the legs, back, hips and activate the parasympathetic nervous system which reduces heart rate and blood pressure. I have observed that this helps the child to feel tranquil, organized and grounded.
Extension postures or backward bends improve posture, strengthen back muscles, elongate the front of the body and open the chest and the rib cage. They facilitate a deep inhalation which is energizing. They compress abdominal organs thereby toning them and allowing them to be flushed with a fresh supply of oxygen. The child appears to feel energized and attentive.
Rotational or twisting postures prevent the damaging compression of discs or joints and keep the energy flowing to the organs by nourishing the discs in the spine. They massage the organs of digestion and elimination and help the kidneys to eliminate any waste products generated by the asana practice. This helps the child feel centered and organized.
Inversions reverse the usual effects of gravity. They rest the heart, drain the lymph, relieve pressure on the lower back and rejuvenate internal organs. A fresh supply of oxygen-rich blood is delivered to the brain cells which has a beneficial effect on concentration and memory. The endocrine glands in the head are nourished by a new supply of arterial blood. They help a child to feel alert, energized and organized.

Responsive singing with children encourages the development of language, improves the ability to speak, establishes eye contact and enhances social interaction. It helps children develop rhythm and melody, and synchronizes eye and hand movements. It improves focus, memory and enhances motor skills.
Responsive singing can utilize chanting, that is, repeating a mantra. A mantra is a word, short phrase or positive affirmation that can be repeated out loud, silently or whispered and forms the focus of responsive singing or meditation. Sound is a potent way to stimulate the aural and vestibular structures.(1) Chanting produces a calming and healing effect on the nervous system and as a result helps to gain access to a higher level of cognitive skills. Chanting a mantra reduces

anxiety by replacing disturbing and obsessive thoughts, develops aural perceptions, and helps to express emotions. It promotes diaphragmatic breathing and increases the length of the exhalation which is soothing.
Yoga encourages children to utilize many breathing techniques called pranayama that strengthen and supply fresh oxygen to growing lungs. The maintenance of good health is linked to respiration and lung function and therefore pranayama is an essential part of the yoga practice.(14) Pranayama together with the yoga poses work directly on the brain and the endocrine system and therefore on a child’s mind and emotions. Control of respiration is gained gradually by coordinating the breath with body movements.(12) As a result brain cells are nourished and stimulated; mental clarity and emotional stability improve; inappropriate impulses are controlled; stress levels and hyperactivity are reduced. Nerve function that improves is linked directly to carrying out motor activities.(11) Moreover, the emotional stability gained through pranayama releases mental and creative energies in constructive ways and the child exhibits more self-confidence, self-awareness and self-control.(8)
Proper breathing is one of the key factors in correcting speech disorders and supporting postural stability.(11) Breathing is the foundation of speech and the development of deep breathing supports it. When sitting and standing, inhalation raises posture up and back and exhalation down and forward.(3) Slouching, associated with low muscle tone, causes laboured inhalations and incapacitates abdominal muscles that assist exhalation. Breathing correctly opens the chest and strengthens the diaphragm.

The ability to regulate respiration gives us access to autonomic nerve function like no other system of the body and, as such, different methods of breathing are able to affect the autonomic system.(3) For instance, habitual chest breathing or shallow breathing could create physical and mental problems through slightly but chronically over stimulating the sympathetic nervous system, keeping heart rate and blood pressure too high and leading to difficulties with digestion and elimination. Furthermore, children who have shallow breathing patterns are usually in states of heightened stress and reactivity and as a result the sympathetic nervous system is kept in a constant state of arousal creating hardship for the digestive, circulatory, endocrine and immune functions.(3) As well, it is suggested that abnormal breathing patterns can also arouse autonomic reactions associated with panic attacks.
Consciously regulating the breath resets the nervous system to a more harmonious and functional state. As previously stated, quiet and deep abdominal breathing in and out through the nose produces an autonomic response that slows the heart beat and reduces blood pressure, thus producing a sense of calm and stability.(3) Deep breathing stimulates brain chemicals to help fight depression, low self-esteem and low energy.
Kapalabhati breathing which means “skull shining” is an example of an effective breathing technique and a cleansing practice (kriya).(14) It removes excess phlegm and mucous from the sinuses and the respiratory tract. It clears the lungs of stale air and replaces it with oxygen rich air. It invigorates the liver and the abdominal muscles. It aids digestion and elimination and helps to calm the mind.(10) It is highly energizing and helps a child improve strength and stamina.

Another excellent breathing exercise for developing concentration and soothing the nervous system is alternate nostril breathing or Nadi Suddhi which means “nerve purification”.(14) It activates the parasympathetic nervous system thereby slowing the heart rate and stabilizing blood pressure. It too removes stale air from the lungs and increases intake of oxygen. It balances and harmonizes the left (logical) and right (creative nonlinear) hemispheres of the brain. Alternate nostril breathing increases vitality and clarity of mind, drawing awareness within and focuses the mind to prepare for meditation.(10)
The eye exercises (nethra vyayamam) in the yoga session include specific movements which can focus on a near or distant object, either real or imagined. The eyes can move vertically, horizontally, diagonally or rotate in a counter-clockwise and clockwise direction exercising all the eye muscles. Eye exercises help to stabilize the eye muscles to maintain ocular attention.(1) Non-habitual eye movements help with sensory awareness.(5) Many children have difficulty finding and sustaining their visual focus so the exercises eventually make it easier for a child to pay attention and develop better concentration.(2)(12) The sessions end with eyes closed, covered by warm palms (palming) and a gentle massage of the eye lids. Palming blocks out far more light than by just closing the eyes and so gives the optic nerve and visual pathways of the brain a true rest.(5) “The eyes are the only part of the brain that can be seen on the surface of the body and when the eyes are relaxed these pathways have a soothing affect on the brain”.(7)

Deep relaxation (Yoga Nidra) allows the body to integrate the beneficial effects of all the movements and postures. It is in this parasympathetic state that physiological changes can take place in the body and information can be assimilated in the brain.(1) It enables the toxins released into the bloodstream to be carried to the lungs and then expelled through the body during the breathing practices. Deep relaxation is particularly beneficial for children with learning or developmental challenges and has a restorative affect by providing a stress free rest period.(12) Furthermore, it withdraws awareness from the external environment and helps to develop the mind-body connection by bringing attention to specific muscle groups and the level of tension held there. It develops the power of concentration by remaining fully alert while remaining completely relaxed. Deep relaxation is an ideal precursor to meditation for children.

In conclusion Yoga evolved thousands of years ago in India from a meditation practice into a scientific system that encompasses physical discipline to attain somatic and mental health. Yoga in general works on many different levels that are both subtle and profound. The regular discipline of yoga helps all growing children to channel and direct their emotional energies in a constructive manner. It helps to correct postural and systemic irregularities and improves over-all health and vitality. It increases mental clarity, emotional stability and a greater sense of well-being; it releases physical tension and mental stress. It helps to balance the emotionally disturbed, destructive, aggressive and hyperactive child.
          Personally, I am constantly encouraged by the positive physical, intellectual and emotional results that I observe in children with physical and developmental disabilities who take yoga. With regular practice yoga can help these children gain greater concentration, self-control, emotional and physical balance, strength and resilience. It enables every child to realize her/his potential. This requires the parents’ support and encouragement, the dedication and patience of the yoga instructor, and the determination of the child.
          The yoga techniques children learn are skills that will sustain them for a life time, skills to which they can return to whenever it is necessary. I know that the confidence and good habits they cultivate in their yoga sessions will carry over into more refined patterns in their daily lives.

Yoga for the Special Child®

Bibliography
1. Buckley-Reen, Anne
            2008 Yoga for the Child With
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2. Cheatum, Billye Ann &
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3. Coulter, David H.
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4. DeHart, Ganie B. L. Alan Stroufe
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5. Doidge, Norman, M.D.
             2015 The Brain’s Way of Healing, Penguin Group
                                                                        (USA) LLC

6. Fontana, David & Ingrid Slack
            1998                                                   Teaching Meditation to Children. Element
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7. McLanahan, Dr. Sandra
           2008 Living Yoga: The Life and Teachings
                                                                        of Swami Satchidananda. DVD. Integral
                                                                        Yoga® International.

8. Saraswati, Swami Satyananda
           2003 Yoga Education for Children. Yoga
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9. Satchidananda Ashram
           2008                                                     Integral Yoga Intermediate Teachers
Manual.
10. Satchidananda Ashram
       2008                                                          Personal Communication

11. Sumar, Renata
           2000                                                     Yoga & Speech-Language Pathology.
Yoga Chicago Magazine July- August
2000 Archives.

12. Sumar, Sonia
          2015                                                       Yoga for the Special Child®,LLC Program
Workbook & Notes.

13. Sumar, Sonia
          1998, 2013 Yoga for the Special Child®,LLC Special Yoga
Productions, Sarasota, Fl.

14. Yogiraj Sri Swami Satchidananda
           1995 Integral Yoga Hatha. Integral Yoga
Publications, U.S.A.