Yoga basics for kids go a long way toward health and wellness

Get enthused! Yoga basics for kids can confer all the health benefits of an adult yoga routine to children, while addressing some pediatric concerns in the process. Is your child sickly, exhausted, depressed or in chronic pain? Alternatively, is he or she distractable, hyperactive or generally unable to sit still? Either way, you'll find yoga-centric treatments and inspirational stories for kids all over the place.

Some of the pediatric conditions that yoga can address include:

Chronic pain

While children are not as likely to suffer from long-term aches as adults, their risk for chronic pain is still sizable, especially if they are injury-prone. This is one reason why researchers at Children's Hospital Boston recently looked into whether or not anesthesia programs teach kids yoga or meditation. Published in the journal Pain Medicine, the study determined that 86 percent of pain clinics educate children on at least one alternative form of pain management.

ADHD

Boys and girls with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can be a real handful. However, a paper appearing in the Journal of Attention Disorders suggested that children who are already taking medication for ADHD may benefit from doing yoga on the side, as a way to relax or focus.

Depression

Believe it or not, research indicates that yoga may be able to blunt the symptoms of depression among teens and young adults. A report published in the journal Alternative Therapies determined that depressed youth who try two or more yoga sessions each week may see improvements in their mood and anxiety levels.

And much more!

A meta-study appearing in the journal Academic Pediatrics announced that yoga may help kids with many different mental and physical problems. These include irritable bowel syndrome, poor respiratory health and anxiety.

Fortunately, many yoga studios offer classes for children, teens or the whole family.

Related items

• Chattanooga first-graders do yoga basics for kids
• Classes revolve around yoga basics for kids
• Yoga basics for kids combat childhood obesity
• At championship, yoga basics poses bow to the most advanced techniques
• Instructor loves to teach yoga basics poses