Yoga and Speech Therapy

I recently ran across two different articles suggesting incorporating yoga into speech therapy practice.  Knowing Babs has definitely opened my eyes to the world of yoga so these articles jumped off the page at me.  Both were directed towards pediatric speech therapists practicing in multiple settings - schools, private practices or clinics.

The first article, Yogic Techniques in Therapy, focused primarily on the benefits of yoga in relation to the needs that many children receiving speech therapy have.  From increasing attention and concentration to providing a chance to interact socially in a nonpressured environment, the author's opinion was that yoga can only benefit a child, especially if that child has speech or language deficits. 

The second article, Yoga and Shared Storybook Reading, focused on using yoga in a specific way during speech therapy.  The author talked briefly about the benefits of yoga.  She suggested choosing a book that has animals or natural elements that can relate to yoga poses; at each appropriate picture, the therapist can set aside the book and do the pose.  The author felt that the concrete beginning and ending of a storybook activity was more beneficial than just doing a few poses with no framework.

I have somewhat of a mixed view on this.  I think the authors are absolutely right about the benefits of yoga, especially for the children who receive speech therapy.  Who wouldn't want their clients to have better attention and focus?  However, I think it is stretching the boundaries to say that practicing yoga is practicing speech therapy.   I wouldn't feel it was ethical to simply do yoga for my 45 minute session and then state the benefits given in these articles and submit my billing.  If my patients need speech therapy, and I am licensed and certified to provide that, then that is what I should provide.  Not to mention that many of the clients I worked with were too young or too impacted by their disabilities to actually participate in following even simple directions.

However, I could justify doing 5-10 minutes at the beginning of a session in order to focus a child.  Or I might use it in a joint session with an occupational therapist as part of a calming break between more challenging activities.  I could also see suggesting it to parents as an activity for their child.  I think using yoga as part of your clinical repertoire takes discretion on the part of the therapist, but it is definitely an interesting idea to pursue.