Assessing and Improving Nasal Breathing in Children and Teenagers: A Practical Buteyko Workshop

This workshop begins with a simple clinical question: can the child breathe comfortably through the nose?

Participants will practise observational and functional approaches to assessing nasal breathing, recognising possible obstruction and exploring whether mouth breathing is more likely to be related to rhinitis, enlarged adenoids, habit, or a combination of factors. The session will also address when further medical or ENT assessment may be appropriate.

The majority of the workshop will be practical. Participants will experience and practise age appropriate Buteyko breathing exercises to help reduce nasal congestion, encourage habitual nasal breathing, develop calmer and lighter breathing, and support recovery after physical activity.

Practical cases involving children and teenagers with anxiety, asthma and rhinitis will be used to consider what to observe and which exercises would be most appropriate.

The way breathing exercises are introduced is also important. The language that engages a young child will often be different from the language that works with a teenager. For teenagers, the workshop will include practical breathing strategies to reduce physiological arousal, reduce overthinking and prepare the body and mind for sleep.