Yoga in Paediatrics
Original Editor - Niyati Jhaveri Shah
Top Contributors - Niyati Jhaveri Shah, Kirenga Bamurange Liliane and Kim Jackson
Description[edit | edit source]
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[edit | edit source]
- Asanas or phyical poses
- Breathing or Pranayama
- Deep relaxation
- Meditation
Benefits[edit | edit source]
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[1]
- Increase in body's immune response
- Increased energy levels
- Increased sensory awareness
- Improved breathing pattern[2]
Social, Emotional and Cognitive Effects:
- Improves attention span, and concentration[3]
- Improves memory
- Reduces stress and anxiety[4]
- Improves relationships and social awareness[1]
- Induces relaxation
- Improves self-confidence
- Improves emotional regulation[5]
Yoga and ADHD[edit | edit source]
Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with an incidence of about 5% in children[6]. 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.[7] 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.[4]
Yoga and Cerebral Palsy[edit | edit source]
Yoga and Paediatric Oncology[edit | edit source]
Resources[edit | edit source]
add appropriate resources here, including text links or content demonstrating the intervention or technique
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Folleto JC, Pereira KR, Valentini NC. The effects of yoga practice in school physical education on children's motor abilities and social behavior. International journal of yoga. 2016 Jul;9(2):156.
- ↑ D'Souza CD, Avadhany ST. Effect of yoga training and detraining on respiratory muscle strength in pre-pubertal children: A randomized trial. International journal of yoga. 2014 Jan;7(1):41.
- ↑ Hagins M, Rundle A. Yoga improves academic performance in urban high school students compared to physical education: a randomized controlled trial. Mind, Brain, and Education. 2016 Jun;10(2):105-16.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Khunti K, Boniface S, Norris E, De Oliveira CM, Shelton N. The effects of yoga on mental health in school-aged children: A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis of Randomised Control Trials. Clinical child psychology and psychiatry. 2023 Jul;28(3):1217-38.
- ↑ Daly LA, Haden SC, Hagins M, Papouchis N, Ramirez PM. Yoga and emotion regulation in high school students: A randomized controlled trial. Evidence-based complementary and alternative medicine. 2015 Aug 19;2015.
- ↑ Mechler K, Banaschewski T, Hohmann S, Häge A. Evidence-based pharmacological treatment options for ADHD in children and adolescents. Pharmacology & Therapeutics. 2022 Feb 1;230:107940.
- ↑ Drechsler R, Brem S, Brandeis D, Grünblatt E, Berger G, Walitza S. ADHD: Current concepts and treatments in children and adolescents. Neuropediatrics. 2020 Jun 19;51(05):315-35.
