Tae Kwon Do and Special Needs

( Waiting for his first competition! He is the one in white)

Tae Kwon Do and Special Needs

I blogged earlier we recently began Tae Kwon Do. You can read about that here.

Martial Arts is one of the best extra curricular activities that any child can participate in, not just a child with special needs. There are many benefits to the program. We have three children who practice martial arts. Two of my three are on the spectrum and it has been wonderful for all 3 of our blessings. So how can Martial Arts help a child with special needs?

There are many ways it can help. According to a study done by the University of Wisconsin, some examples are:

It may make it easier for an individual to pay attention for longer periods of time
The repetitive movements of martial arts the individuals dependence on stemming behavior like hand flapping
Learning new positions may help with motor planning problems, an issue that many with Aspergers face
This type of therapy can improve core strength and motor control
The structured social interactions in the martial arts class may improve the skills and confidence of the special needs person
Having a constructive outlet may reduce disruptive behaviors

Martial Arts represents discipline and structure, something children not only need, but something they yearn for. Over the last decade there has been a tremendous amount of studies performed proving the benefits of Martial Arts with kids who have ADHD, ODD, Aspergers and so on. One of the benefits of martial arts is that it can connect the mind and body together more strongly. This helps many special needs children who have difficulties in this area. Martial arts can help range of motion, flexibility, concentration, social skills, behaviors, and confidence, just to name a few.

In our own personal experience, TKD has been wonderful. Our Dojang has a special behavior modification program. Each week our boys take in a report card that covers how their behavior is outside the studio. They need to maintain a TKD attitude not just in the studio but outside as well. My oldest has made many strides since he was diagnosed with ADHD and Aspergers, but there are a few areas that he needed some more help with. It was recommended that we try Martial Arts and so we found out about this studio from a friend and checked out the program.

When Bookworm first began, he struggled with the behavior outside the studio. Inside the studio he was a Little Ninja, focused and ready to go! However, our studio gives out black tape on their belt for character. They receive colored tape for the stances and moves inside the studio. He was rocking the colored tape but not getting his character tape because I was totally honest when filling out those report cards. I hurt for him as week after week he did not get his black tape for character. I wanted him to receive the character tape so bad!

However, I kept talking, encouraging and reminding him that if he did not get 5 character tapes, he could not test for the next belt color regardless of how well he did in the studio. I worried that saying that may backfire as in the past he has just not cared about this when the going gets tough. I am proud of him as he plugged along working hard in the studio the whole time.

Finally, 3 weeks later he got his first character stripe. Him getting that was priceless because he worked for it. No one gave it to him. He had to earn it. Are all the things we wanted fixed magically gone? No, not yet anyway. It has only been about 5 weeks now but each week we see improvements.

My middle child, on the other hand, is much more compliant but has muscle issues, more so than Bookworm. Turtle Boy has PDDNOS. Each week I see him getting stronger and stronger! It is taking him longer to get the colored tapes for stance but he works his heart out and has fun doing it! He is rocking the character tapes, too. Yes, my boys are total opposites LOL. Each week Turtle has better focus, not just in the studio, but at home as well!

My youngest is in the Little Tigers class. He is neurotypical, but he is 4! So he was very wiggly when we first started! He would be looking at the ceiling and out the doors and windows and, well, everywhere but where he should! He was so cute though! :). As time has went on he has much better focus, is able to sit longer, and the Tae Kwon Do attitude is rubbing off at home! I love hearing him use such good manners.

One of the biggest things I think that has came out of this experience is concerning my oldest. He is a picker. He picks at his lip, the skin around his finger nails, he scratches and digs and can be very nervous. I had noticed less and less of this as time has went on since starting martial arts. On Thursday, I was cutting the kid’s nails before TKD and when I was doing Bookworm’s, I noticed his nails almost looked normal! He had a few hangnails, but they were already healing!!! So I asked him what was different. He is very verbal. He told me “Mommy since we started TKD my body is more calm.” WOW! Ok! I am sold!

If you have a child with special needs, I encourage you to consider martial arts. It has really been a huge blessing to our family in just the short time we have been practicing. I can’t wait to update this maybe in a year and add in all the other wonderful things TKD has done for our family!

( After he won his first medal! :))

In Christ,

Laura

PS Since writing this, my oldest Bookworm earned and was invited to test for his yellow belt!!! We are very proud of him and how far he has came in such a short time. His belt testing will be in his Dad’s birthday too! 🙂

PPS: Bookworm is now high yellow belt an working towards PURPLE!!!