Reflections From a Yogic Breathing Therapy Practice
Some cases stay with you—not because they are dramatic, but because they quietly reshape your confidence as a therapist.
This was one such case.
I have been working in therapy-oriented yoga practice for several years, yet training a 6-year-old girl with adenoid gland enlargement reminded me that experience alone is never enough. Pediatric therapeutic work demands patience, creativity, humility, and constant learning. Every session required me to slow down, observe, adapt, and sometimes go back to my books and teachers—despite years of hands-on practice.
From the very beginning, one thing was clear:
This was not about “teaching” yoga. It was about earning a child’s participation.
When Therapy Has to Feel Like Play
At six years old, compliance cannot be forced. Instructions do not work unless the child feels safe, curious, and engaged. So the entire approach had to be built around play-based breathing practices, even though the therapeutic intention behind each exercise was very specific.
What surprised me most was how deeply the child connected with the practices when they were presented as games. One exercise in particular—the balloon pop-up breathing—became her favorite. The parents later told me she kept playing with it the whole day. For them it looked like play; for me, it meant consistent breath training without resistance.
That moment reinforced an important lesson:
When children enjoy the process, therapy continues even outside the session.
The Initial Challenge: Mouth Breathing
The most difficult part of the early sessions was something very basic—keeping the mouth closed.
We started with a simple mouth-holding practice. The goal was 30 seconds, but initially, even 10 seconds felt challenging. Gentle encouragement, patience, and repetition were essential. Slowly, session by session, she adapted. That small improvement alone gave me confidence that we were moving in the right direction.
Cold exposure and Dubai’s fluctuating weather were constant challenges, often increasing congestion. Progress was never linear—but it was visible.
The Breathing Protocol (Disguised as Games)
Each practice had a clear therapeutic purpose, even though it appeared playful.
Mouth holding (gradual progression)
To interrupt habitual mouth breathing and bring awareness to nasal airflow.
- Balloon pop-up exercise
A simple DIY tool (thin balloon, pen body without filler, thread)
used to encourage long, controlled exhalation. This became the child’s
favorite practice.
- Elephant breathing
Large, expressive breaths presented as a game to improve lung expansion.
- Snake breathing (hissing sound)
Long exhalation using sound, enhancing breath control without strain.
- Candle blowing exercise
Initially challenging, but she never gave up. Focus improved
significantly once Bhrāmarī was introduced.
- Nāḍī Śuddhi Prāṇāyāma (longer exhalation)
Introduced gently, without breath retention, to support nasal
breathing and autonomic balance.
- Bhrāmarī Prāṇāyāma
Played a key role in improving focus, calming the nervous system, and
providing subtle stimulation to the throat and nasopharyngeal region.
Bhrāmarī often acted as a bridge practice—bringing her attention back whenever fatigue or frustration appeared.
Observations That Matter
The most encouraging sign was not dramatic change, but short moments of comfortable nasal breathing. These moments were rare in the beginning, but gradually increased with consistent practice.
As a therapist, those moments mattered more than any checklist. They indicated that the child’s breathing pattern was slowly reorganizing itself.
This work was demanding. Even with eight years of therapy experience, I had to constantly reassess my approach. Pediatric cases do not allow rigid protocols—they demand responsiveness.
A Note for Fellow Trainers
Yogic breathing practices are not a replacement for surgical intervention in adenoid enlargement. That boundary must always be clear and ethical.
However, they can:
- Support nasal breathing re-education
- Reduce dysfunctional mouth-breathing habits
- Improve breath control and awareness
- Aid recovery and symptom management
- Enhance a child’s confidence around breathing
Most importantly, parental trust plays a crucial role. In this case, the parents’ belief in the process gave me the time needed to work gradually and safely.
Closing Reflection
This experience has strengthened my confidence to continue working in this direction—not because the journey was easy, but because the changes were meaningful.
Sometimes progress looks like a child breathing through the nostrils for a few seconds longer than yesterday. And sometimes, that is more than enough to remind you why this work matters