1. Editor's Note
2. 1999 Calendar of Events
3. Message from Sonia Sumar
4. Case Study of Luisa
5. Review of "Yoga for the Special Child"
6. Questions and Answers
7. An Invitation from YSC's Webmaster

This April issue of our newsletter focuses on some of the techniques that Sonia uses in teaching yoga to children with ADD/ADHD. It also contains our 1999 Calendar, with the dates and locations of this year's upcoming workshops and certification programs, as well as a listing of other scheduled events.

On Sunday, June 27, we plan to hold a graduates' reunion and BYOB (bring your own breakfast) at the New York Integral Yoga Institute in New York City. The morning will include sharings from participants and a group discussion. If you are a certification program graduate and would like to attend, please contact Yoga for the Special Child for reservations.

By the way, if you haven't seen the March issue of "Exceptional Parent" magazine, I suggest you pick up a copy. You can purchase it at Barnes & Noble (along with a copy of "Yoga for the Special Child," if you don't already have one). "Exceptional Parent" has published an article on yoga for children with disabilities, the result of two extensive interviews with Sonia by the editors. You'll also want to check out our full-page ad on page 75, which contains a listing of program graduates and information on up-coming events.

Finally, please tell your friends and local associations about our newsletter. We really appreciate your support.

Thanks, and have a great spring!

--Jeff Volk

1999 Yoga for the Special Child Introductory Workshops:

• June 12, Ithaca, NY

1999 Yoga for the Special Child Certification Programs:

• June 19-26 New York, New York
• July 10-17 Homer, Alaska
• July 24-31 Houston, Texas
• Sept. 11-18 Buckingham, Virginia

To register for a certification program or workshop, please contact us.

• A reunion of last year's program graduates has been tentatively scheduled at the New York Integral Yoga Institute on Sunday, June 27 at 9:30 a.m. If you are interested in attending, please contact us.
• Would you like to host a Yoga for the Special Child Certification Program or Workshop in your area? We are currently considering requests for the year 2000. Please contact our office (1-888-900-YOGA) for more information.

• National Down Syndrome Congress Convention, August 6-8, Pittsburgh, PA
• Southwest Yoga Conference, September 4, Austin, TX
• Chicago Whole Life Expo, October 15-16
• Atlanta Whole Life Expo, November 12-13

Ms. Sumar will also be appearing on America's Health Network June 10th at 2:00 pm, EST. Check your cable listings for the station in your area!

Life is truly a fount of learning for all of us. It always happens that just when I think I have arrived at a clear understanding of some situation, a new fact appears that alters everything and shows me the error in my previous way of thinking.

I come from a country where, in order to survive, you need to cultivate a certain savvy, which we Brazilians call "jeitinho brasileiro." If you want to get by, there is always some little lesson to learn, even in the midst of great suffering. But, fortunately, life is not only suffering--it also has its compensations. And among these, the greatest for me has been my two wonderful daughters.

Renata, my eldest, was always the precocious one. Whatever I taught her, she quickly absorbed, demonstrating her curiosity and independence at an early age. Since childhood she has practiced yoga with me, and now it is a part of her daily life. Today, at the age of 29, she is a practicing speech-language pathologist, a yoga teacher and co-director of our yoga school in Brazil.

My second daughter, Roberta, came into this world not so much to learn from me as to teach me something about myself. As a child with Down Syndrome, she showed me a world completely different from the one I had known--a world filled with love and respect for everyone, with no place for fear or prejudice. Through Roberta, Renata and I learned how to work with other children, both with and without disabilities, providing them with whatever assistance they needed in order to realize their full potential.

At the age of 14, my lovely daughter Roberta passed away. Even without her physical presence, the lessons I learned from her live on in my heart and mind. In my work with special children, it is this memory that sustains the strong bond of love and affection between us.

Wishing you health and happiness,

Sonia Sumar

I first met Luisa in 1992, when she was six years old. Her mother Nair had read about my work in a local newspaper and wondered if yoga might be able to improve her daughter's condition. At that time, Luisa was diagnosed with Prader-Willi Syndrome, a congenital disorder characterized by a rounded face, almond-shaped eyes, strabismus (crossed eyes), low forehead, hypotonia, insatiable appetite, failure to thrive and mental retardation. In my opinion, she exhibited many of the characteristics of ADHD. When I attempted to teach her, she became easily agitated; she was also extremely hyperactive and distractable. Due to her lack of balance, she was unable to walk up and down stairs without assistance. Luisa also suffered from daily convulsions and sometimes went into multiple seizures so severe that she needed to remain in the hospital for a week at a time. To help control her seizures, she took various anti-seizure medications. None of these medications, however, was adequate in controlling her seizures, no matter how often they were adjusted.

Our first yoga sessions were spent creating a strong bond of trust and friendship between Luisa, myself and her mother. Once this bond of trust was established, we were able to proceed with our work. When I first began to teach yoga to Luisa, her body was so tense and her mind so agitated that she couldn't keep still long enough to perform an asana (yoga pose). I discovered she was having numerous minor convulsions throughout the day. In order to strengthen her nervous system and calm her down enough to practice yoga, I decided to focus on teaching Luisa pranayama (breathing exercises) and deep relaxation rather than asanas. For the first month of yoga therapy, she performed only rapid breathing exercises (the Skull Shining Breath and Bellows Breath) and deep relaxation. In the second month I began to slowly introduce the asana portion of her class.

At this early stage of Luisa's yoga practice, I had to manually guide her body through the exercises because she did not possess sufficient balance, motor control, and physical strength to imitate my movements. One of the paradoxes of Luisa's condition was that she experienced stiffness in her joints and a resulting lack of flexibility, even though her muscle tone was very low. This lack of flexibility severely limited her ability to perform asanas.

I always began Luisa's yoga sessions with about five minutes of chanting and hand clapping, followed by the pranayama portion of her class. Both of these types of exercises helped to capture her attention and create a focus for the asanas that followed. The asana portion of our class was interspersed with short intervals of deep relaxation to keep her from getting too excited and speedy. In the beginning, almost all the asanas were difficult for her to perform. Even so, she persevered--a tribute to her mother's encouragement and our strong bond with one another.

After several months of yoga therapy, the intensity of Luisa's seizures began to diminish. Although her school performance was not consistent with her age level, I noticed that she was quite intelligent and had an excellent memory. This apparent contradiction was due to her extreme distractibility and impulsivity. In order to keep her attention during our yoga sessions, I found it necessary to increase the speed at which we performed asanas. Not until I discovered her own natural rhythm, was she able to maintain her focus and to begin slowing down. The same approach applied to music and sound therapy. As with many of my other students, I learned that the only way I could reach Luisa was to go into her own world and meet her on her own terms. Only then would I be able to draw her out of her intellectual and emotional shell and establish the channels of communication so necessary for success in our work.

Once Luisa was familiar with all the asanas in her yoga routine, she began to show her great enthusiasm for yoga by beginning each new asana even before she had completed the previous one. Unable to remain still for more than a second or two, she always seemed to be one step ahead of herself in everything she did. I struggled to curb this tendency by bringing her attention to the muscle groups that were being stretched or strengthened during each pose and by encouraging her to breathe deeply.

Another aspect of Luisa's condition was her need to talk incessantly. My instructions and comments during our sessions were often met with replies on totally unrelated topics. I finally devised a way to keep her from talking during yoga. We made an agreement: Luisa could speak about anything she wanted for a period of up to ten minutes, either before or after our yoga session; but during the class, she promised to follow my instructions and to allow me to guide her without interruptions.

Another challenge I faced with Luisa was her inability to remain upright in a seated position. She would slouch over with her pelvis tilted backward and downward. In order to bring her pelvis into alignment, I gave her a variety of asanas that begin from a seated position. I also focused on poses to open her rib cage and chest area, and to relax the muscles of her back. While she held these poses, I continued to talk to her, explaining the benefits of each pose and always encouraging her to bring her awareness back to her body.

By the end of her first year of yoga therapy, Luisa had made great strides in her body awareness, motor control, and flexibility. She was now able to walk up and down stairs unaided--and even run! During yoga, she could perform pranayama and several of the asanas without my assistance. She was also able to sustain a prolonged period of deep relaxation at the end of each yoga session and learned to love this quiet time. During this phase of Luisa's development, we added Alternate Nostril Breathing to her pranayama session and worked on perfecting her standing poses.

In 1993, after a year and a half of yoga therapy, Nair asked me if Luisa could accompany her to an adult yoga class. It was during Luisa's school vacation, and Nair had been unable to arrange childcare for her daughter. Adult classes last approximately one hour and fifteen minutes, while my private yoga therapy sessions with Luisa normally lasted only forty minutes. I was not sure if she would be able to sustain her concentration for the extra 35 minutes. In order to observe her reaction during this time, I seated her at the front of the class. Luisa surprised us all by completing the entire yoga routine. In fact, she did so well that I allowed her to continue attending our adult class twice a week for the remainder of her school vacation. Luisa loved this class and the other students were greatly impressed by her new-found ability to perform these more advanced asanas, as well as her overall attitude and maturity. She became the darling of our yoga class.

By 1994 Luisa was able to raise her straightened legs off the floor in both a supine and prone position. Her attention span and body awareness were both vastly improved. She could now remember the names of most asanas, about twenty-six in all, in both Portuguese and Sanskrit. In August of 1997, Luisa was finally able to join a children's yoga class, which includes children at all levels of development. During this time her ability to perform asanas and, in particular, her flexibility, improved dramatically. To give you an idea of the extent of Luisa's progress, when she first began practicing yoga in 1992, her body was so stiff that she was unable to touch her hands to her knee in the Head-to-Knee Pose. Today she can touch her head to her knee in this pose.

Although Luisa is still subject to occasional seizures, they are not as severe or frequent as they once were. Her doctors were finally forced to reevaluate their diagnosis of Prader-Willi Syndrome because she is thin and agile, and never developed the characteristic compulsive eating disorder. During yoga Luisa is usually attentive and cooperative. Throughout the majority of a forty-five minute session, she remains fully concentrated and absorbed in her yoga routine. She goes out of her way to help new yoga students and is very popular in her class. The benefits of her yoga practice have also carried over into her daily life. At school, she has learned to read and write, and to complete math exercises.

Luisa still practices yoga twice a week at our yoga center in Belo Horizonte, in a children's group class taught by my daughter, Renata; she is steadfast in her attendance. In May of 1998, during the Brazilian book signing of the first edition of Yoga for the Special Child, Luisa was the first person to receive a book from me. She showed the book to all of her friends at school, reminding everyone that the child in the painting on the cover of the book was none other than herself! I know how proud Luisa is to be on the cover of our book-- and I am equally proud of her.

Sonia Sumar, October 1998

Current government figures show that one out of every ten children in the U.S. is identified as having special needs. Parents, educators and therapists face the often overwhelming challenge of integrating these children into home, school and workplace environments. "Yoga for the Special Child" speaks directly to this audience with an innovative program of yoga techniques designed to increase cognitive and motor skills at each stage of the special child's development.

Yoga is far more than just a slow-motion calisthenics routine or stress reduction method. It is a teaching method which enhances coordination, muscle development, body awareness, and concentration. Its success as a remedial program in the education of special children has been documented in studies published in American education and psychology journals.

"Yoga for the Special Child" is currently the only full-length work on this important subject. With over 200 photos and illustrations, this comprehensive and easy to understand guidebook gives the reader a clear and compassionate look into the future of special education.

In praise of "Yoga for the Special Child:"
"An excellent therapeutic program--clear, comprehensive, and compassionate. I was particularly impressed by the profound transformation in Sonia's students, which came as a direct result of their practicing yoga."

"Like an angel, Sonia offers real help where doubt has previously resided. I am profoundly touched by this compassionate and practical approach to reaching our very special children."

"I believe that every school, every physical therapist, every early intervention program and special education department should go out and buy one or more copies. I think it should be integrated into class curriculums for those entering associated fields. Parents, of course, will know to buy it because where there is hope, there is courage to change and the strength to help our children."

"Yoga for the Special Child" is now available at Barnes & Noble and other major bookstores across the country, and by clicking here.

Answer: Sometimes music will help a child relax if she is agitated. Find a tape that your daughter really likes and try playing it during your yoga session with her. Toys can also be used to attract a child's attention; or you can try singing or talking to her.

Always ask her first if it is okay to do yoga with her. "Would you like to do some yoga now? Can I help you with this pose?" Show her the same respect that you would show anyone else. Explain the benefits of each pose as you go into it-- how that pose will help to increase her flexibility, strengthen her musculature, improve her digestion or memory. Always try to bring her focus back to her body; this will help to increase her body awareness. When you talk to her, speak with the conviction that she is able to understand what you are saying. And please remember to congratulate your daughter when she performs a pose well. "Oh, that's great! What a beautiful yoga pose! You're so flexible!"

Finally, don't be afraid to experiment with what your child can and cannot do--just be patient and gentle in your approach. Once you start working with her, you will discover what works and what doesn't. Also, as your daughter becomes more accustomed to her yoga routine, she will begin to enjoy this special time with you and to pay more attention to the yoga poses.

Please feel free to mail in your questions and comments, as well as articles, case histories and photos that you would like to share with other readers in our upcoming issues. Contact information is posted below:

Yoga for the Special Child
Toll Free Number: 1-888-900-YOGA
Route 1, Box 1559 Buckingham, VA 23921
Telephone: (804) 969-2668 Fax: (804) 969-1962
E-Mail: info@specialyoga.com

We value any suggestions or input you might have concerning our website and would very much like to include your organization's web site on our Related Sites page. Please send your site's URL and a one sentence description of your organization's purpose to webmaster@specialyoga.com. We will get them on our links page promptly.

We would also appreciate it if you put Yoga for the Special Child on your own links page. Our description is: "We teach yoga to infants and children with Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Attention Deficit Disorder, and other disorders."

Yoga for the Special Child Staff:

• Renata Sumar--teaching assistance
• Pramodini Shannon--office manager

Newsletter Staff:

• Editor: Jeffrey Volk
• Copy Editors: Pramodini Shannon, Paul Forrest, Paula Stone
• Hard Copy Layout: Lakshmi Barsel
• Electronic Layout: David Debs
• Contributing Writers: Sonia Sumar and Jeffrey Volk

1. A message from YSC's Founder, Sonia Sumar
2. Comments from graduates of our programs
3. From Jeff Volk, YSC's Program Director: Information on this year's and next year's programs and workshops.
4. From YSC's Webmaster: An invitation to Webmasters of other disability-related sites

I am very pleased to be teaching yoga in the United States, where so many people are already familiar with its principles and techniques. Among those who have participated in our programs are parents and their children, educators, yoga teachers, physical and occupational therapists, massage therapists, dance teachers, movement therapists and adaptive P.E. teachers, and as well as nurses and pediatricians. It has really surprised me to discover how many dedicated professionals are completely open to this new methodology and application of yoga.

Since our first U.S. program in August of 1997, I have been in touch with many of our graduates and have heard about the wonderful response to bringing yoga back to their communities. At the same time, I am aware of a tremendous need that can only be met by continuing our workshops and programs.

Thank you for giving me this opportunity to work with so many beautiful children.

Prior to attending Sonia's training, I had been working in my local school district as an occupational therapist. Having studied yoga for about 17 years, I was intuitively drawn to implement its techniques into my treatment sessions. I assumed that children with special needs would experience many of the same benefits that I had experienced in my own practice.

After some months of experimentation, I began to notice positive changes in the children. Their sitting tolerance improved, as well as their ability to perform fine motor tasks. Around that same time one of the parents asked if I would teach her son yoga and if I would be interested in teaching a children's group class. I felt excited, but unsure as to how to organize such a class. I realized I needed further training, so I began to seek out yoga training for working with special children.

I found nothing until about a year later, when I stumbled across Sonia's interview in Yoga Journal. I thought, "Here is a class designed just for me!" I completed the training program in September, 1997. As anyone knows who has experienced this program, it is a gift to be able to observe Sonia working with special children. She presents an ideal role model in the way she is able to connect and be present with each child.

When I returned to California, I was able to structure my treatment sessions in a more organized manner and to integrate yoga into each of my treatment sessions. I felt more comfortable teaching groups. I also discovered that yoga is very effective when coupled with other therapeutic interventions. For example, I work` with many children who have been diagnosed with autism, learning disabilities and ADD. All of these children have deficits with sensory processing.

Yoga is an effective way to stimulate and impact the various sensory systems. When these systems receive appropriate input, the children become more organized, calm and attentive, and their ability to learn and perform tasks improves. Teachers and parents alike have noted demonstrable changes in these children's behavior. I feel honored to be doing this work and helping children with special needs reach various milestones in their development.

I would be very interested to know how other professionals are succeeding in integrating yoga into their work. Let's all support each other by staying in touch.

Many Thanks, Sande Rutstein, O.T. San Anselmo, CA

Our first U.S. Yoga for the Special Child Ten-Day Certification Program was held in Central Virginia in August of 1997. Since then, we have taught additional certification programs in Central Virginia, New York and San Francisco. More than seventy parents, professionals and children have completed our programs.

Our plans for 1999 include certification programs in New York, Los Angeles, Alaska and Central Virginia, as well as weekend workshops throughout the U.S. We also have plans to attend the 1999 National Down Syndrome Convention in Pittsburgh, the United Cerebral Palsy Annual Conference in Nashville, the CHADD (Children & Adults with Attention Deficit Disorders) in Washington, D.C. and numerous other conferences and expositions. Upon confirmation, these events will be posted on our website.

Hope to see you soon!

Click here to read about our programs and workshops.

If you would like to have your website linked with ours, please e-mail us at webmaster@specialyoga.com and we will place your website's URL on our links page. Be sure to include a one-sentence description of your organization along with your website's URL.

We would also appreciate it if you would put a link for our URL, www.specialyoga.com, on your website's link page. Our description is: "We teach yoga to infants and children with Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Attention Deficit Disorder, Learning Disabilities and other syndromes and disorders."