Therapeutic Eurythmy for Children

Therapeutic Eurythmy for Children is a collection of exercises gathered by Anne-Maidlin Vogel from 1968 until 1998. Many arose from lectures the author attended, given by experienced therapeutic eurythmists--especially Trude Thetter and Ilse Rolofs, as well as medical doctors and colleagues. Much of the material she used in her own therapy lessons with patients, with some of the exercises created from her own work with children for over thirty years.

As a form of movement therapy, eurythmy has been very effective in treating physical and mental developmental disorders. This book is a rich source of information for professional eurythmy therapists, physicians, and teachers of children up to fifteen years of age. Therapeutic Eurythmy for Children provides not only examples for exercises, but also offers useful references for personal development and additional training for therapists.

Included here are eurythmy therapy exercises to be performed with premature infants, babies, and young children up to the age of four. Although based firmly on Rudolf Steiner's spiritual science and his general recommendations for eurythmy, anyone can follow the descriptions and sketches for individual exercises, which are based on healthy movement of the developing human organism.

Speech eurythmy exercises (specific spoken sounds and sequences) are included for postural problems, enuresis, lack of concentration, and more. These encourage readers to study the principles behind the practice of eurythmy performance and eurythmy therapy.

Therapeutic Eurythmy for Children offers inspiration and enrichment to therapists, provides a way toward more holistic pediatrics, gives teachers a better understanding of how to approach their students through movement, and encourages parents toward a more effective, holistic approach to children's overall health and development.

C O N T E N T S

Preface

Introduction

THE FIRST FOURTEEN YEARS OF THE CHILD'S LIFE

1. Therapeutic Eurythmy for Babies

2. The First Seven Years

3. Children in Their Ninth Year

4. Children in Their Twelfth Year

5. Children in Their Fourteenth Year

DISHARMONIOUS CONDITIONS

6. Hyperactive Children

7. Chorea

8. Rocking or Swaying To and Fro

9. Children Damaged due to Environmental Conditions

10. Stuttering

11. Learning Difficulties, Especially Dyslexia and Dyscalculia

12. Left-handedness

13. The Formation of the Teeth

14. Kleptomania

15. Autism

16. Sexually Abused Children

17. Blindness

18. Hydrocephalus

APPENDICES

Original Verses and Poems

Thanks You

biographies

About the Coming Generation

"You, too, Uncle Lou" -- Anne Maidlin and Norman Francis Vogel