Special needs kids reap the benefits of martial arts
Lead instructor saw first-hand how children with autism can improve
When it comes to welcoming children with special needs into his adapted karate classes, André Langevin has one rule. No child will be turned away.
“Sometimes parents leave with their child after a few minutes because (he or she) is making noise or having a tantrum,” Langevin said.
“(Noise and tantrums) don’t bother me at all. It’s normal to be anxious at the beginning. Parents should give me at least one month to work with the child.”
It’s the first time Langevin’s school, Autisme Karaté, is offering classes in the West Island. Langevin operates two other dojos in Montreal and is the vice-president of the Association de développement des arts martiaux adaptés (ADAMA). His bilingual team of instructors give classes at Valois United Church in Pointe-Claire, Sundays at 2:30 p.m.
Langevin has 30 years of experience in the martial arts. The last 10 years, he has focused on teaching children with special needs, including autism.
The retired RCMP officer’s understanding of special-needs children runs deep.
Langevin and his wife, Nathalie Paré, knew something was wrong when their son Philippe was four years old and took to banging his head against the wall and having severe tantrums. His verbal skills were severely limited.
At the time, Langevin was stationed in rural British Columbia and access to resources was slim. But they worked hard to find help and in 2000, Philippe was diagnosed with autism. The family moved back to Quebec where
If you can control the anxiety, the child will become calmer. I credit my success to my team. They give me advice and I listen. ANDRÉ LANGEVIN, karate instructor
they could access the necessary therapy. Upon their return, both parents were diagnosed with anxiety disorders.
They fought to have Philippe accepted into regular school, with a full-time shadow.
He attended French school until Grade 4 and then switched to English school because the support offered was better. He is now bilingual.
When Philippe was 12, Langevin took him to his first martial arts class. Philippe is now a black belt and an instructor at Autisme Karaté.
“The benefits were amazing,” Langevin said.
“First and foremost the classes helped Philippe with his social skills. He became more confident. He learned discipline — to follow the rules.”
In his final year at Macdonald High School in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Philippe was awarded six academic prizes and three trophies. He got 100 per cent in the notoriously difficult history course. He loves history.
Philippe went on to study science at John Abbott College and is poised to complete his BA in mathematics at McGill University. He plans to complete a master’s degree in the field and become an actuary.
His response to ongoing support and early therapies has been so striking the family has been invited to the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Md., on two occasions so that researchers could study Philippe close at hand.
He received his therapy in Montreal under the tutelage of Dr. Sylvain Palardy and his team at SteJustine Hospital.
All the instructors at the Autisme Karaté have either firsthand experience with specialneeds children or are autistic themselves. The learning curve never ends because every child has different needs.
“Autistic children have tantrums because they are anxious,” Langevin said. “If you can control the anxiety, the child will become