It has been more than five years since my daughter was diagnosed with autism and although we’ve pursued traditional therapy options over the years, including speech, occupational and physical therapy, it was a dance class that really proved to be the most effective therapy for her. In a dance class you can work on physical therapy skills, occupational therapy skills, speech therapy skills and social skills, all in a fun an interactive group setting.
Since those early days of a combo class of tap, ballet and tumbling, Ava has matured into a beautiful young ballerina. She loves ballet and now she attends a dedicated ballet school program. As parents, we are allowed to view classes twice per year and this is a snippet of what I was able to see last week during the school’s spring viewing week. Thank you for letting me share.
Photo: gerardagudo/Flickr
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Thank you for sharing this! My five-year-old daughter is on the spectrum and we’re about to enroll her in a ballet class. The instructor has worked with another autistic student. She suggested starting off with private lessons and then introducing her to group lessons. So excited to see the progress I’m sure she’ll make!
How exciting for you and your daughter Tish! I hope that she has as much fun in the class as my daughter has had over the past several years. This weekend my daughter will be auditioning for a child role in The Nutcracker, another ballet milestone for us!
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