Yoga for Children on the Autism Spectrum

On a recent trip to Chicago I saw a Yoga magazine from June 2013 in my hotel room and decided to take a look for some inspiration since I practice yoga a couple times a week. One article I found was particularly interesting because it spoke of yoga for children on the autism spectrum. The article is by Mira Binzen and she states that the subtle decor, dim lights, clutter-free space, and pleasant room smells can be an ideal setting for children on the autism spectrum.  This spectrum includes Asperger Syndrome and PDD-NOS (pervasive developmental disorder- not otherwise specified).  One hallmark of children on the spectrum is to have sensory processing issues, and this is where yoga can be helpful.  It can help the children self-soothe, self-regulate, gain confidence, and socialize more effectively.  Yoga also can reduce stress, and this in turn can reduce stereotypical/self-stimulating behaviors Binzen writes.

The article goes on to list ways yoga teachers can provide a comfortable and effective practice for children on the autism spectrum.  One of my favorite ideas from Binzen is to have the children partner up.  Some children with autism can be highly adverse to physical contact with others and yoga can provide an opportunity for the children to practice social skills while doing partnering poses.  She also mentions mirroring another without physical contact to help enhance socialization skills.

Mirroring is a technique I use in my music therapy practice with children on the autism spectrum (and others as well!).  Music making activities involving imitation and synchronization have the ability to engage regions of the brain that presumably contains “mirror neurons”, making music activities particularly useful for the treatment of developmental disorders and autism.