Dance Helps Children With Autism

Dance is helping children with autism build new learning pathways

Autism is a spectrum disorder. We know that every child is different and what helps one child might not help every child.  The experts are in agreement that early intervention helps with development and dance is one therapy that has helped some children with Autism.  The latest research suggests that autistic children need multiple different types of stimulation to process information.  Music and dance can help the brain to reorganize itself. We hear the music, process a sequenced pattern, dance the sequenced pattern  and repeat.  It is the hearing, listening, seeing, processing, doing and repetition that helps the child with autism build new learning pathways. To dance we must use both the left and right side of the brain.  Ms. Beth has 30 years of experience as a dance teacher and childhood development specialist.  She developed, directs and facilitates The Little Dancers Program in Minnesota at schools, child care centers and specialized learning centers. 

Nationally, as many as 1 in 150 individuals have an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).  In Minnesota, 1 in 109 school age children are diagnosed with ASD.