Two Simple Breathing Strategies For Kids

If you are a parent to an asthmatic child, you have to understand what just what Rhythmic Breathing Technique is and it's expected results.

So that you are completely familiar with the concept read the detailed instructions on Rhythmic Breathing Technique for adults before you start trying to teach your child.

As all parents know, it is not easy to get a child to relax, but as with adults it is best if you can do so before working on the breathing. Here are some ideas that may help.

Remember also the tip about teaching your child to float in a swimming pool; this helps them understand what it is you want when you as them to relax.

There is a technique I called the Elephant Walk.

Strategy #1 – What is the Elephant Walk?

It is to imitate the slow, swaying; relaxed movement of an elephant moving its trunk from side to side can help very young children understand about relaxation.

It is to have the child to pretend being an elephant. Bending their knees, drooping their head forward, relaxing the shoulders, with their arms hanging loosely almost touching the floor, have them visualize and imitate an elephant slowly walking swaying from side to side. Actually, it's fun – try it.

With children below the age of five it is nearly impossible having them to participate in Rhythmic Breathing Technique, they are usually too busy playing and exploring their world.

As their attention span of these children is limited, you will have turned the Rhythmic Breathing Technique into a game by talking to them about 'blowing up' their tummy and making it BIG, BIG, BIG.

Then show them how to slowly blow out as much air as they can, making the short puhhh puhhh, puhhh sounds through their mouth. Tell them to watch how their tummy goes in and see how little they can make it.

Have them try to make their tummy really BIG and really SMALL. Encourage them: aren't they clever!

There are some wonderful games to play that will encourage children to breathe out long and slow.

Strategy #2 – Train Their Blowing

They all love blowing bubbles in the bath or with bubble pipes.

Blowing a table tennis ball or pencil across a table is a fun game and can be varied by blowing through a straw.

Even blowing crumbs off the table will make them happy – if you don't mind sweeping up the mess.

Children love to make noises and although parents will have to tolerate the cacophony of sound, blowing a mouth organ, whistle or toy trumpet gives them the freedom to enjoy a pleasurable activity and exercise their airways at the same time.

As a child develops and breathing capacity improves, this game can be expanded by increasing the distance between the child and the candle.

Later they should learn to control their breath so the flame moves gently but does not go out. Sustaining this sort of breathing control, for even a minute or so a day, will improve their respiratory development.

Use your imagination and initiative to devise other suitable games and activities, but remember the emphasis must be on breathing out to encourage overall relaxation and to help loosen the child's upper chest area.

Caution, please take note:

Be careful not to overdo these games because extended exhaling can cause the child to develop a wheeze.

Breathing out, or the puhhh, puhhh puffing, should stop just short of a wheeze. If a wheeze occurs, stop the game as it could perhaps trigger an attack. Often a cough will help to clear wheeze and the game can continue.

Even though you may know what are the two simple breathing strategies for your kids, but all these information will be of no use if no action is being taken.

Having the knowledge is not power, applying the knowledge is true power to free yourself the agony of having asthma again. You should never add to, or alter any component of your current asthma treatment without first consulting your physician.

However, many asthmatics including kids sometimes tend to take breathing for granted and they should be be conscious and aware that in order to have an asthma-free lifestyle, a proper and yet effective asthma recovery system is necessary. Even without a proper asthma management system, there will not be much asthma free lifestyle to hope for.

Applying the knowledge of how to use these breathing strategies for kids with an effective asthma management system even your little one can use to enjoy asthma-free life once again.