ASD is a neurodevelopmental disorder that stuns lifestyle and behavior. Autistic children have a variety of intellectual levels, severity, and other disabilities, and the most common issues and stereotypes develop from repetitive behaviors, defects in social communication, and lack of interest in social activities.

Amongst several non-invasive treatment options, Yoga Therapy is gaining more traction. It addresses the emotional and physical symptoms of an autistic child holistically without any side effects. Here are the top ten reasons why you should enroll your autistic child on yoga therapy.

Forty-five minutes of structured yoga for 12 weeks showed significant improvement in social responsiveness and reduced social withdrawal in ASD children.

-Shanker & Pradhan, 2022
Effects of Yoga On The Social Responsiveness And Problem Behaviors In Children With ASD In Special Schools: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Motor skill

Yoga is proven to improve gross motor skills in children with ASD. One study showed that physical-therapist-delivered yoga helped improve motor and imitation skills in just eight weeks. Although experts suggest that yoga improves fine motor skills, it is yet to be proven.

Self-regulation

If the child has self-regulation issues due to behavioral problems or lack of sensory integration, yoga is an effective solution. Certain yoga poses and breathing exercises can help to improve coping mechanisms and self-regulation in ASD children. Thus, it enhances mood regulation and reduces adverse behavior caused by external or internal stimuli.

Six weeks of yoga therapy improved sleep, self-regulation, anxiety management, and emotional awareness in ASD children compared to those who did not receive yoga therapy.

Tanksale et al., 2021
Autism: The International Journal of Research and Practice

Yoga and mindfulness programs help to improve self-control, quality of life, social responsiveness, social cognition, social motivation, and imitative behaviours in children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder. It also reduced social withdrawal, irritability, aggressive behavior, and non-compliance.

Semple, 2019
Child and Adolescent Mental Health

Balance and Stability

Autistic children have limited body awareness, and thus, they could have problems with stability and balance. Yoga helps kids to gain a better sense of body control when focused on asanas that offer proprioceptive and vestibular movements.

Reduce anxiety and stress level

Impaired sensory integration can lead to improved levels of anxiety and stress. Several studies prove yoga reduces anxiety and stress while integrated into a child’s psychological treatment. The breathing exercises help calm a child and deal with depressive disorders.

A case study proved that a child with Asperger syndrome who attended yoga for four weeks improved his ability to self-regulate stress. There was also improvement in social interaction, emotional expression, and physical performance.

Scroggins et al., 2016
International Journal of Yoga

Emotion expression

The struggle to respond or express emotion is the main reason for unwanted behaviors and meltdowns in ASD kids. Yoga becomes an outlet for such kids to express emotions constructively. Breathing exercises and certain poses help to reduce negative emotions like anger or anxiety.

Self-confidence and self-esteem

Self-confidence and self-esteem are not some of the stronger suits of children in the spectrum. However, tree Pose, Warrior Pose, and other balancing or standing poses can help build confidence. Excelling such postures helps improve a child’s sense of accomplishment, which can be modified into motivation.

Social communication

There isn’t much room for conversation during Yoga Therapy. However, the asanas help to improve imitation, joint attention, and focus—all these help in improving communication skills in real-life scenarios. Moreover, yoga can help to improve eye contact and non-verbal communication.

Conclusion

Parents should not expect yoga to cause significant differences within a week or two. For Yoga Therapy to work, there should be consistency and involvement. Moreover, it is better to choose a certified yoga therapist who has experience in handling children on the spectrum. There are several YouTube channels that offer such videos for home training. If your child has problems being a part of a class or being around a therapist, you can use these videos to help the child get accustomed to the poses and the concept of Yoga. However, slowly, try to integrate the child into a class run by a therapist.