The Austistic Spectrum Disorder (ASD) Child

The ASD Child

1 in 70 children are diagnosed with ASD. Although the symptoms of autism vary widely, there are 3 common characteristics:

difficulties with social communication and interaction – autistic children may find it hard to join in conversations or to make friends

repetitive behaviour, routines and activities – such as fixed daily routines and repetitive body movements.

autistic children may be sensory sensitive: under or hyper-sensitive to certain sounds, lights, colours and smells and unexpected touch.

How can Sensitive Kids’ Yoga help the ASD child?

ASD kids frequently have sensory processing disorder. This may show up as the child being uncoordinated, bumping in to stuff, and the child being unable to tell where their limbs are in space. Sensitive Kids Yoga helps the child to become embodied. We use yoga poses and deep pressure techniques that create release and help the child relax.
Frequently ASD children are unaware of other people’s personal space, or are unusually upset by people entering their own personal space. In SKY we practise compassionate touch in yoga poses and in massage. All touch is predictable, strong when appropriate and gentle when appropriate. We ask for permission to touch. Gradually ASD children become more balanced in their capacity understand personal space.
A lot of children who have autism experience a heightened level of anxiety. It can considerably affect their mood, sleep, behaviour and overall health. Because of difficulty with communication, deficits in sensory integration and a number of other difficult challenges, kids with ASD are in a state of perpetual anxiety.

Specific breathing strategies could be taught to help kids with ASD and reduce anxiety and soothe their nervous systems. This is where yoga can help. The practice of guided imagery, mindful breathing and specific poses that can calm their nervous systems can help children develop coping and self-regulation skills, as well as more effective and measured responses to stress, both physically and emotionally. This can lead to a better mood, sleep, digestion, behaviour and overall well-being.
Social communication is challenging for ASD children. In SKY children work with parents until they are familiar with other children. When familiarity has been gained children and parents are gradually encouraged to work in larger groups to promote social skills. An important part of SKY is sharing fun and laughter. The poses are inherently enjoyable and upbeat. Kids love it, and because they love it, they want to do more.
ASD children need repetition. Classes begin and end in the same way each time to encourage familiarity and a feeling of safeness. ASD children find safety in rituals. Yoga honours ritual.
ASD children are often hypersensitive and are easily overstimulated by challenging or intense light, colour, smells and sounds. Traditionally, one of the focuses of yoga is to encourage the 5 senses to soften and withdraw. This is nourishing for anyone who is sensitive, and is especially so for ASD children. Through exercises to focus attention, deep breathing techniques, mindfulness and guided meditation students learn how to deal with over-stimulation. This gives them peace.

The physical poses in yoga allow kids to release their nervous energy from their body in a well-controlled manner, which can also lead to a serene and calming sensation. Also, less stimulation translates to fewer outbursts, uncontrollable behaviour as well as repetitive nervous movements.

Reviews

The Yogini sensory Yoga practice that Noush has implemented with the students at BIS has a beautiful and powerful connecting impact. The combination of traditional yoga with this process of concrete awareness practice of the “self” and “other”, leads to a shared sense of connection. It is an embodied social and emotional learning. I would recommend every parent experiences this process with their child as it will undoubtedly change your interaction for the better and grow your connection. This is such a powerful opportunity for all parents and children to experience. Having watched the beautiful embodied practice that Noush takes the children through, I can see how powerfully it will bring parents and children together.

Jen Haynes

PrincipAL, Brisbane Independent School

We attended family yoga over the Christmas holidays on three occasions, my family included my 68 year old mother, myself, my 11 year old son and 13 year old daughter. Noush has such a lovely connection with all her students, the class introduced my children to concepts of mindfulness, mind body connection and awareness as well as a range of carefully selected yoga poses that were both challenging and fun. This class is a wonderful way to introduce children to yoga practice and is skillfully adjusted to meet the needs of its attendees. We all left calm, relaxed and will certainly return. Thank you.

Mother of sensitive teenagers.

We had a lot of fun together and enjoyed the partner work… My daughter has a poor attention span, but she kept in it pretty well. Two thumbs up from my daughter. She really enjoyed it. I think she got into the chanting at the end, and it was really interesting for her.

H. T.

Mother of ASD 9 year old child.

My highly sensitive daughter and I attended a yoga event with Noush as I was concerned about her sedentary lifestyle choices. She enjoyed the session immensely and as a result of the experience since has chosen more physical activity as she knows this is an effective calming strategy that can also work for her.

C. Barnaby

Father of 12 year old

Loved this. It was needed after a moment of family challenge and growth last night! Oliver had a great time. His favourite pose is the Tree.

E.P.

Mother of sensitive 6 year old

What a wonderful class, thank you Noush. My kids and I got so much from class. I even overheard my kids reenact the whole class later in the day. Clearly had a very positive impact on them (and me). Look forward to doing it again some time.

A.M.

Mother of highly sensitive children, 9 and 5.

It was AWESOME!

P. O. H.

Highly sensitive 13 year old.

Yoga helps open the mind and keeps you healthy. It really helped me become more calm and healthy with a challenge. I think it’s great for the body and for mental health.

Harry

Student of 3 years

Noush Baxter

My Profile

I am a registered school teacher, and a registered children’s yoga teacher.

As a school teacher since 1992, I have regularly worked with kids with ADHD. I have seen the challenges that kids with extreme sensitivity face.

As a yoga teacher I have been teaching adults since 2006 and with children since 2010. I’m registered with Yoga Australia as an Intermediate Level teacher. My training includes 320 hours with My Health Yoga, 520 hours with Yoga Physio and 10 hours with Radiant Child Yoga Program. I recently trained in yoga therapy for Children with special needs. My yoga teaching won a Business Achiever Award in Fitness and Sports in 2011.

I started teaching yoga to children when my daughter was attending Chapel Hill Kindergarten in 2010. When she moved to Brisbane Independent School I started to teach yoga to the children there. I’ve worked with children from prep to grade 7 ever since. At this school I have regularly worked with students with ADHD and ASD. I have also seen the challenges that highly sensitive children experience.

My work at BIS has shown me that the more sensitive a child is, the more they benefit from yoga and meditation. I have discovered that although sensitivity can be a challenge for the child, it can also be a blessing when given gentle and confident guidance. In my 8 years at BIS I have observed how students with sensitivity issues, whether ADHD, ASD or HSP can use embodied practise to move into profound levels of peace, self-awareness and self-connection that far exceed those without sensitivity issues.

Contact Noush

0416 328 317

Email noush@yogini.net.au