Alternative therapies being used to treat children with special needs

[Guest guest]

Alternative therapies being used to treat children with special needs

 

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http://www.newstarget.com/017991.html

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Highlight:

Muscle therapy, yoga and acupuncture are three alternative medicine

practices that are catching on with the parents of children with

special needs.

Original source:

http://ledger.southofboston.com/articles/2006/01/10/life/life01.txt

 

Summary:

 

Anthony Puleo's life improved dramatically just one month after a

doctor performed acupuncture on him.

The result: ''I could fully understand a lesson and pay attention

more easily,'' Anthony said, referring to his schoolwork.

A growing number of children like Anthony are turning toward

alternative practices - like acupuncture, yoga and massage - to

treat learning disabilities and other developmental challenges.

Harris said no disease in Asian medicine compares to what Western

cultures call ADD or ADHD.

''Oriental medicine looks at problems from a totally different

perspective than Western medicine and is patient-specific,'' said

Harris.

''A Western physician looks at a child who has difficulty

concentrating and who has problems in their relationships with their

peers and problems in the structured setting of a classroom and

makes the diagnosis 'attention deficit disorder.'''

''Imbalances in one child that might lead to problems with lungs or

digestion can in another child lead to problems with the mind, with

the mood and behavior,'' Harris said.

Muscular therapist Erin Barry of Abington teaches massage to parents

of children with special needs.

Massage for children with autism and other special needs is a

different technique than traditional hands-on body work, she said.

Few autistic children can tolerate a stranger's touch or have a

stranger in the home - and a broken routine can have a huge impact

on a child with autism, said Barry.

After a few yoga lessons, Judi Sacco-Coleman saw a positive

difference in her 4-year-old daughter's behavior.

And Sacco-Coleman said Kayla, her daughter who has Down syndrome,

gets excited every week about the yoga class the child endearingly

calls ''exercise with Lin,'' referring to yoga instructor Linda

Roberts.

Roberts said her first approach is ''fun'' and making a connection

with that child.