Yoga for Kids to Improve Sensory, Self-Regulation and Physical Skills for Autism, ADHD, Developmental Coordination Disorder, Downs Syndrome & CP – Kathryne Cammisa

• Techniques to build body and self-awareness and instantly move kids from chaos to calm
• Partner poses and games to teach cooperation
• Activities to engage and empower children with behavior and emotional disorders
• Fun postures for stretching tight muscles and strengthening weak muscles
• Strategies to facilitate listening, focus and self-regulation

In this seminar you will discover the powerful and positive impact yoga can have on the kids you work with who face challenges with sensory processing, motor incoordination, neurological disorders, ASD, ADHD, emotional/behavioral problems and learning disorders.

You will walk away with interactive and hands on yoga practices to enhance:

• Motor skills
• Body and self-awareness
• Muscle length and strength
• Nervous system regulation
• Focus for learning
• Cooperation with others

Through exercises, case studies and videos — you will leave equipped to improve physical, sensory and self-regulation skills with the kids you work with in therapy and the classroom!

1. Articulate the benefits of yoga for reduction of mental health symptoms in children.
2. Implement yoga practices as an intervention to meet treatment goals in therapy.
3. Utilize yoga poses and techniques to improve motor, sensory, attention, self-regulation and social skills in children.
4. Develop yoga postures and techniques to relax and calm the nervous system of clients.
5. Design yoga developmentally appropriate yoga practices to improve social skills among participants.
6. Adapt yoga practices to address the developmental needs of various age groups, including infants, toddlers and school age children.

OVERVIEW

• Components of a well-rounded yoga practice
• Goals that can be met using yoga techniques
• Current research
• LAB: Alignment, warm up & basic poses

YOGA FOR SPECIAL NEEDS: CEREBRAL PALSY & INCREASED TONE

• Breathing exercises: Kapalabhatti
• Elongate flexors/adductors: Bow, butterfly
• Stretch hamstrings: Down dog, dolphin
• Facilitate rotation
• Relaxation: Complete breath, diaphragmatic
• Mediation: Around the clock
• LAB: Practice techniques

YOGA FOR DOWNS SYNDROME & LOW TONE

• Breathing to invigorate: Joyful breath & more
• Body awareness: Body painting, brushing
• Promote core strength & stability
• Relaxation: Sighing breath
• Meditation: Eye exercises
• LAB: Practice techniques

YOGA FOR ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDER

• Breathing exercises
• Centering exercise: Shake, freeze, melt
• Facilitate focus, balance & core strength: Tree, crow, firefly
• Relaxation: 2:1 breathing, body scan & more
• Meditation: Alternate nostril breathing, color meditation & more
• LAB: Practice techniques

YOGA FOR DEVELOPMENTAL COORDINATION DISORDER

• Breathing exercises: Sitali/sitkari
• Promote motor planning: Sun salutations & other sequences, down dog variations
• Relaxation: Tense & relax
• LAB: Practice techniques for body awareness and motor planning

YOGA FOR CHILDREN WITH AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER

• Breathing exercises: Breath sounds, Abdominal breath with weight
  • Calm & relax the nervous system: Child’s pose & other inversions
  • Work with others: Partner poses
  • Meditation: Chime
  • LAB: Experience to practice techniques

YOGA FOR BEHAVIOR AND EMOTIONAL PROBLEMS

• Addressing resistance
• Precautions for dealing with childhood trauma, abuse and neglect

YOGA GAMES

• Body awareness
• Creativity
• Gratitude
• Trust and cooperation
• Quiet games
• Listening and focus
• Partner poses
• LAB: practice techniques

ADAPT YOGA FOR DIFFERENT AGE GROUPS

• Infants
• Toddlers & preschoolers
• School age