The Positive Effects of Yoga on Children Who Have Autism

The Positive Effects of Yoga on Children Who Have Autism

Shannon May

Yoga Theory Culture and Practice

Professor Laura Douglass

The main purpose of yoga is to help us, as humans, become aware of our deepest nature and create a mind, body, and spirit connection through the practice.  Studies in the past several years have shown that children with Autism spectrum disorder, or simply, “autism,” can benefit tremendously from this ancient practice of hatha yoga. Autism occurs in people when their brain develops differently in utero and they have trouble making sense of their world. Children with autism have trouble regulating their emotions, connecting to others, imitating other’s movement and speech, and taking control of their own bod (Oliver, 2011). Yoga therapy addresses children throughout the entire autism spectrum. This includes children with Sensory Integration Disorder, Asperger’s Syndrome, Pervasive Developmental Disorder, High Functioning Autism and Classic Autism (Rowen, 2012). Along with the traditional benefits of yoga such as toning the body and finding peace of mind, yoga can help children with motor skills, social skills, sensory integration, coping techniques, self-awareness, emotional expression, and following routines.

Integrated Approach to Yoga Therapy and Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Study

In a study done on children entering SGS Vagdevi School, Bangalore, 2000-2007, six children with autism practiced a specially formulated Integrated Approach to Yoga Therapy unit, in addition to their applied behavior analysis (ABA). Changes in communication, social, cognitive, and adaptive skills were compared to six matched controls, who only received ABA. Pre-, mid-, and post-therapy special educators assessed subjects on Autism Spectrum Disorder's core targeted behaviors: eye to eye gaze, sitting tolerance, body posture, body awareness, depth perception and balance, imitation skills, self-stimulatory behavior, receptive skills related to spatial relationships, and self-injurious behavior. Results indicate that Integrated Approach to Yoga Therapy improves imitation skills and social-communicative behaviors, playing an important role in improving quality of life for children on the autism spectrum (Radhakrishna, Nagarathna & Nagendra, 2010).

After the first 12 sessions, there were no observable changes in eye contact or any of the other desired behaviors in the children. Shortly after, however, there was a noticeable difference in the children’s breathing. These children, who were initially unaware of their breath learned to breathe in and out deeply. Blowing bubbles, special blowing toys, and drinking straws were used to demonstrate this (Radhakrishna, Nagarathna & Nagendra, 2010).

By mid- session children were holding eye-to-eye gaze and had more tolerance for sitting. They had tremendously improved body posture. Improvements were also noted in receptive skills to verbal commands concerning spatial relationship during: trikonasana and uttanasana, imitation skills, self-stimulatory activity, and self-injurious behaviors. Teachers noted an increased alertness in the students directly after sessions (Radhakrishna, Nagarathna & Nagendra, 2010).

Finally, during the post-assessment, “children previously unable to connect with the therapist started coming closer during continuous chanting of mantras; they seemed to enjoy chants. Mantra chanting demonstrated increases in oral-facial movement imitation skills.” Children who initially sat outside the mat, or jumped on the mat, demonstrated discipline by sitting in vajrasana when gentle touch was applied on their lower back. Significant changes occurred in communication, language, play, and attention as well (Radhakrishna, Nagarathna & Nagendra, 2010).

Yoga develops motor skills

Children with Autism typically experience delayed motor development due to low muscle tone and impaired coordination. Yoga enhances balance and stability. As motor skills develop, children are able to gain a better sense of their physical selves in relation to others. ("Spectrum yoga therapy," 2011) The repetition and routine of movement sequences increase the child’s ability to carry out motor plans (Kenny, 2012). For example, the constant practice of Downward Dogs will eventually help children with autism become aware of how to reach the ground and maintain an awareness of where their body is in space while in the pose. They can carry this awareness into their everyday life.

Yoga improves confidence and social skills

Children on the autism spectrum may be singled out by their peers for not moving or behaving like other children. They may even be bullied for not being able to take part in sports or other movement related activities. Self- control is taught through a yoga practice. In being able to refine their social skills, children are able to appropriately calm themselves in social situations. Students are able to come about these calming techniques through breathing exercises and guided visualizations. These practices provide a sense of peace and acceptance for students and greatly reduce stress. For children who have attention difficulties because of their autism, these breathing practices can be especially helpful. Breathing practices teach listening skills and help students calm down and release some energy. (Reynolds, 2010)

Partner work in a yoga class can elevate confidence in group settings because of the communication and physical contact involved (Rowen, 2012). Yoga therapy can also help create a bond between the teacher and the student. This relationship provides a basis for mutual trust and understanding for the child and gives them a calm role model to relate to. As noted in the study Integrated approach to yoga therapy and autism spectrum disorders, children have been noted to act more comfortably and move closer to their instructor the more they participate in yoga. (Radhakrishna, Nagarathna & Nagendra, 2010).

It is known that children who are on the spectrum are usually withdrawn from people and relate better to objects. These children are able to relate best to objects they have seen before. Because of this, students are able to learn a lot from doing “tree pose” or “mountain pose” because they can imitate the shapes they already know (Reynolds, 2010).

Yoga Provides sensory integration

Children with Autism have very sensitive nervous systems, which are quickly over stimulated by strong tastes and smells, bright lights, loud noises, and new textures. Yoga creates a comforting environment with its dim lights, soft music, calm voices, and smooth mats (Nagarathna, 2010). During yoga practice, children are completely removed from aggressive stimuli, thus allowing themselves to be calm. People who have autism often get trapped in a “fight, flight, or freeze” response because they have such vastly different sensory experiences. This response moves blood from the digestive organs to the skeletal muscles, causing digestion to be disrupted, the heart rate to move up, and breathing to become shallow. This leads to a state of anxiety ("Spectrum yoga therapy," 2011).

By teaching stillness and breathing techniques, yoga helps the student get out of the “fight, flight, or freeze” response and to feel more relaxed. When the body comes out of this response, the blood returns to the core and the body can return to normal breathing and digestion. Some specific yoga poses can help with stimulating the gastro-intentional tract for better digestion such as child’s pose and cat cow poses. (Quigley, 2011)

These poses allow nervous energy to be released from the body in a controlled manner. This means less outbursts or repetitive nervous movements. In her article entitled “The Yoga of Autism,” Carla Douros describes a discussion she had with someone who has seen the benefits firsthand,

Karen Mahoney, the director of the autistic program, tells me that autistic children have a host of sensory needs that are difficult for others to understand. They are always in motion, engaged in inappropriate repetitive movements, which focuses them in their own world. But somehow yoga worked. “Because yoga was not gym class, or art class, or music class, the students had no preconceived ideas of how things should be. They seemed to go with the flow, and the calming effect has been great!” (Douros, 2006)

Yoga increases self-awareness

            The primary reason that yoga is powerful for children with autism is that it helps them learn self-regulation. By becoming aware of their bodies and breathing children are able to better cope when they become anxious or upset. Many times these classes will incorporate other experiences such as massage, dance, music, rhymes, and stories. These experiences stimulate a feeling of relaxation and connectedness to the self (Rowen, 2012).

            As the child progresses through the asanas and pranayamas of a yoga routine, a feeling of deep relaxation occurs and strengthens the nervous system. This increases concentration and body awareness and therefore improves sensory techniques. One teacher shared,

“I was amazed. In general, I would say that my students respond to yoga the way I do; they seem to yoke their bodies, minds and emotions together. They are more aware of their bodies and the movement of their bodies through space. They calm down. They respond better to each other and their teachers after yoga.” (Douros, 2006).

Yoga provides coping techniques

Yoga teaches children self-calming techniques for children through breathing exercises.Children are able to incorporate these breathing exercises whenever they

begin to feel anxious or overwhelmed. One teacher said,

The response of my students was amazing. They learned so much more than the expectations I had set for them. On many mornings when I enter the classroom someone is having a temper tantrum or crying about something. Within ten minutes, the atmosphere has totally altered and students are calmly doing their asana practice! I remember one day when Marie Claire was having a very rough morning. She had been crying non-stop since before I came in the room and she wouldn’t try any of the postures, although usually she is right on task and does them all. Then I remembered one of my yoga teachers saying that no one can be sad while doing a backbend. The minute she did a backbend, her crying stopped and she was fine. (Douros, 2006)

            Parent’s can also learn these yoga techniques and they can incorporate them into the home environment. Since yoga can be done anywhere, parents can bring out the skills their child has learned in yoga in order to help them cope or simply to get them moving at home any time. Since these children are typically visual learners, instructors usually add colored index cards into the practice. These cards have pictures of the poses on them so that students can choose which pose they would like to do next or look at the picture as a reference The child can share flashcards of the day’s poses with parents and they can bond through the activity. Yoga provides a meaningful activity for parents and children to share.

Yoga engages emotion

            It is known that yoga is very far from being a simply physical practice. Yoga incorporates breath work, story telling, and music which all activate the emotional region of the brain. These components encourage children to be aware of their own emotions as they connect to their practice ("Spectrum yoga therapy," 2011).

Yoga helps children learn routines

            Ideally yoga would take place on the same day and same time every week (of course it could be done at additional times as well). Yoga would also have predictable sequences on the same mat with the same layout and same instructor. Students may enjoy modified sun salutations or a basic vinyasa flow. This consistency is an important component to building trust with the group and building a sense of steadiness in the individual. Routine also communicates a feeling of stability in the room. The more children on the autism spectrum sense this stability the more inclined they are to become engaged in an activity and receive the benefits. (Rowen, 2012)

Yoga provides room for spiritual exploration

            It is important for children to learn about spirituality at a young age. At its core, yoga is meant to deepen spiritual awareness. Many who work with people on the autism spectrum believe that our students have untapped spiritual gifts. Yoga is an opportunity for our students to explore their spiritual experience and share it with others ("Spectrum yoga therapy," 2011).

Yoga and Autism as it Relates to Culture

            In the West, yoga is seen as something that is meant to calm us from our busy and stressful lives. As seen in the film YogaWoman one speaker describes why she does yoga. She says, “In daily life we are being pulled out of ourselves all the time.” The film goes on to say, “Yoga is the state where you are needing nothing; where you feel whole and complete” (Clere, 2011).  Having Autism means to be constantly and desperately trying to make sense of life’s chaos. It makes sense that this newly Westernized view of Yoga would draw the attention of those who have autism or are working with people who have autism. In the East where yoga originated however, yoga may have the opposite effect. For example, someone with sensory disorders would most likely not feel any gains from holding their arm over their head like the Agori Yogis- this would probably produce extreme anxiety for them. It seems that the reason that this connection between yoga and autism began is because of yoga’s reputation for being relaxing.

Clere, K. M. (Writer) (2011). Yogawoman [DVD].

Bowe, C. (2012, October 12). Daily yoga may calm kids with autism. Retrieved from http://www.futurity.org/health-medicine/daily-yoga-may-calm-kids-with-autism/

Douros, C. (2006, November). The yoga of autism. Retrieved from http://www.yogachicago.com/nov06/yogaofautism.shtml

Kenny, M. (2002). Integrated movement therapy: Yoga-based therapy as a viable and effective intervention for autism spectrum and related disorders. Retrieved from http://www.peacefulpathwaysyoga.com/pdfs/Yoga-Research-Integrated-Movement-Therapy.pdf

Nagarathna, H. N. (2010, June). Integrated approach to yoga therapy and autism spectrum disorders. Retrieved from http://galenet.galegroup.com/servlet/HWRC/hits?r=d&origSearch=true&rlt=2&o=DateDescend&bucket=per&n=10&l=d&searchTerm=2NTA&index=BA&basicSearchOption=KE&tcit=0_1_0_0_0_1&c=2&docNum=A231482266&locID=les_main&secondary=false&t=KW&s=1&SU=yoga autism

Oliver, C., Berg, K., Moss, J., Arron, K., & Burbidge, C. (2011). Delineation of Behavioral Phenotypes in Genetic Syndromes: Characteristics of Autism Spectrum Disorder, Affect and Hyperactivity. Journal Of Autism & Developmental Disorders, 41(8), 1019-1032. doi:10.1007/s10803-010-1125-5

Radhakrishna, S. (2010). Application of integrated yoga therapy to increase imitation skills in children with autism spectrum disorder. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/pmc2952122/

Reynolds, D. (2010, June 01). Yoga therapy for children with autism found helpful. Retrieved from http://www.emaxhealth.com/1506/119/36747/yoga-therapy-children-autism.html

Rowen, E. (2012). 7 benefits of yoga for kids with autism. Retrieved from http://www.mindbodygreen.com/0-3817/7-Benefits-of-Yoga-for-Kids-with-Autism.html

Spectrum yoga therapy. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.spectrumyogatherapy.org/about