Yoga in Paediatrics

Original Editor - Niyati Jhaveri Shah

Top Contributors - Niyati Jhaveri Shah, Kirenga Bamurange Liliane and Kim Jackson  

Description

Yoga is the integration of the mind, body, and spirit. There are numerous modern schools or types of yoga (for example, Iyengar, Viniyoga, Sivananda, and so on), each with its own distinct focus on the physical postures and exercises (asanas), breathing practices (pranayama), deep relaxation, and meditation that cultivate awareness and, ultimately, improve attention and concentration in children. A well-rounded yoga practice may provide structural, physiological, psychoemotional, and spiritual advantages. Yoga is gaining popularity around the world, and several research studies and systematic reviews are being published with scientific proof of its health-promoting and therapeutic potential in children.

Types of Yoga Practises

1. Asanas or phyical poses

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1. Breathing or Pranayama
2. Deep relaxation
3. Meditation

Benefits

According to the paediatric literature, mindfulness and yoga increase memory in school children, cognitive function in children with mental retardation, planning abilities and executive functions, as well as attention, behaviour, and emotional control in healthy children. Yoga has been found to increase balance, motor skills, and strength, as well as overall well-being and quality of life in a various groups of children.

Physical and Physiological Effects:

• Increase in muscle strength, posture, flexibility
• Increase in body's immune response
• Increased energy levels
• Increased sensory awareness
• Improved breathing pattern

Social, Emotional and Cognitive Effects:

• Improves attention span, and concentration
• Improves memory
• Reduces stress and anxiety
• Improves relationships and social awareness
• Induces relaxation
• Improves self-confidence
• Improves emotional regulation

Yoga and ADHD

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with an incidence of about 5% in children. The disorder is typically associated with cognitive impairments, executive deficits, Oppositional defiant disorder, obsessive-compulsive disorder, and other mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression. Learning difficulties are common in children with ADHD. Yoga and meditation have been shown to improve executive function, inhibitory control, hyperactivity, impulsivity, attention, and mood management, as well as anxiety, insecurity, and stress.

Yoga and Cerebral Palsy

Cerebral palsy (CP) is the most prevalent physical impairment in childhood, caused by non-progressive injury to the foetal or infant brain, resulting in motor, postural, cognitive, and psychological issues. A study indicated that performing specific yoga asanas on six 7 to 11-year-old children with cerebral palsy had a substantial effect on hip and knee joint flexibility. Another experimental study found that 3 months of yoga practice improved motor skills such as reaction time, eye hand coordination, static balance, and agilityalong with considerable gains in postural control and functional ability.

Yoga and Paediatric Oncology

Children and adolescents undergoing cancer treatment are subjected to a wide range of physical and mental challenges.Paediatric oncology patients include fatigue, pain, anxiety, sleep difficulties, restlessness, depression, nausea and vomiting, and hair loss . This can be extremely taxing on the body and mind of people affected, perhaps resulting in a considerable decline in quality of life. According to a 2021 review, yoga and mindfulness may assist to improve quality of life, reduce fatigue, increase activity and fitness levels, improve sleep quality, stimulate appetite, and decrease anxiety at various phases of the disease and its treatment.

Resources

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