Benefits of Tai Chi for Children

Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese type of exercise program with its roots coming from martial arts. It emphasizes a mind body connection using slow, gentle movements, meditation and deep breathing.

Tai chi requires all the major muscle groups and joints to complete the slow, gentle movements. Tai chi has been shown to improve balance, agility, strength, flexibility, stamina, muscle tone, and coordination.

The mediation component of tai chi can help to calm the mind, improve concentration, reduce anxiety, and lower blood pressure and heart rate.

Finally, the deep breathing component of tai chi stretches the muscles involved in breathing, and releases tension. In addition, it can help to increase blood circulation to the brain, which may help increase mental alertness.

So, how will children benefit from tai chi?

• Since tai chi is low impact with gentle motions it is easily adapted for all types of children including those with physical disabilities. Many of the movements can be performed in a seated position. The movement patterns can be adapted so that all can participate at their own level.


• Children with sensory processing difficulties will be challenged to grade their movements and maintain focus on the activity.


• Children who have ADHD can benefit also from the grading of movements, the concentration of deep breathing and the meditation component to calm the mind.


• Children who have motor planning deficits can work on following the motions at a slow and controlled pace.


• Anxious children will benefit from the stress reduction effects of tai chi.

To summarize, adding tai chi to your OT/PT toolbox will benefit many children.

Source: Tai chi | University of Maryland Medical Center http://umm.edu/health/medical/altmed/treatment/tai-chi#ixzz3Dkrt9M9m
University of Maryland Medical Center

Tai Chi for Children: This excellent resource includes a delightfully illustrated story for children with all abilities: It describes the history of Tai Chi and some basic principles and movement patterns (from Tai Chi Fundamentals®) in a way that children can understand. It could be read to teens or adults with intellectual or other challenges as well. This story book is for every parent, teacher, child, therapist, physician, grandmother, or person who wants to learn more about Tai Chi or may want to inspire a child to try this form of physical activity. Downoad the book at http://yourtherapysource.com/taichi.html

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Recent Wii and Kinect Research

Gait and Posture recently published two articles on the use of the Wii and the Kinect.  The research indicated the following:

1. When compared to multiple camera 3D motion analysis, the Microsoft Kinect was able to validly assess kinematic strategies of postural control.  The forward reach, lateral reach and single limb stance eye closed were used for postural control tests.
2.  Postural control was evaluated when using the WiiFit Soccer Heading game and the Ski Slalom game.  The results indicated that participants primarily used a trunk strategy to play Soccer Heading and a great contribution of lower extremity control to play Ski Slalom. 

References: Ross A. Clark | Yong-Hao Pua | Karine Fortin | Callan Ritchie | Kate E. Webster | Linda Denehy | Adam L. Bryant Validity of the Microsoft Kinect for assessment of postural control Gait & Posture, Available online 23 May 2012 

A. Michalski | C.M. Glazebrook | A.J. Martin | W.W.N. Wong | A.J.W. Kim | K.D. Moody | N.M. Salbach | B. Steinnagel | J. Andrysek | R. Torres-Moreno | K.F. Zabjek Assessment of the postural control strategies used to play two Wii Fit videogames Gait & Posture, Available online 19 May 2012

Including Preschoolers

Head Start Body Start presented a webinar on including preschoolers with special needs in active play today. This webinar had lots of great ideas - some therapists would be familiar with and perhaps some are new information. Here are a few tips that I found helpful:

• "teach children how to stop before you teach them how to go" - Diane Craft PhD
• cover balloons in panty hose to prevent any broken pieces if it pops and to prevent children from biting the balloons
• put eye bolts on each side of the room, clip a clothes line onto the eye bolts when you need a quick room divider for games or to hang objects from
• several tips on modifying lessons

You can download the handouts from the webinar here.

Children with Disabilities Participation in PE and Extracurricular Activities

The Department of Education has published a report entitled Creating Equal Opportunities for Children and Youth with Disabilities to Participate in Physical Education and Extracurricular Activities. It is a 24 page report that provides an overview on the law, guidelines for physical activity and suggestions to increase opportunities. Here is a summary:

IDEA and Section 504 are the laws that require children and youth with disabilities have access to physical education and extracurricular activities.

In general, children should participate in 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity per day. For children with disabilities, the recommendation is to work with your health care partner to determine an appropriate number of minutes per day of physical activity.

The suggestions to increase opportunities are the following:

• make sure that the activity is accessible for all children with disabilities.
• use specialized equipment or modify equipment if necessary
  
• educate personnel on adapting games and activities
• encourage an inclusive teaching style
• assess progress on an individual basis
• utilize staff with strong behavior management skills
• use a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) approach for the physical education curriculum

For more information and a list of references and resources you can read the report in its entirety here or below.

Reference: U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services, Office of Special Education Programs, Creating Equal Opportunities for Children and Youth with Disabilities to Participate in Physical Education and Extracurricular Athletics, Washington, D.C., 2011.

Adaptive Physical Education?

School based therapists are frequently involved in providing intervention techniques and environmental modifications during physical education class. Whether it be pre-teaching skills, practicing motor skills or modifying the environment, here are two documents that are very helpful in deciding whether adaptive physical education is warranted.

1. Observation and Referral Form for Adaptive Physical Education - this is a great rubric to use to refer a student for adaptive physical education but also to use for a clear picture of how a child is participating during physical education class

2. Creating Quality, Inclusive Physical Education & Physical Activity for all Students This is a nice article on the law, suggested activities and modifications.