We are thrilled to introduce the Supporting Children Towards Better Breathing Course — an empowering resource designed for parents, caregivers, educators, healthcare professionals, social workers, and anyone with a personal or professional connection to a child.
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From birth, children naturally breathe as nature intended. However, as they grow, factors such as frequent colds, environmental influences, and modern lifestyles can disrupt this natural pattern. Over time, changes in breathing can impact both their physical and mental health, even influencing their long-term well-being.
Learning how to prioritise healthy breathing in children matters in order to:
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​understand the biochemical triggers behind anxiety and strategies to help
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find calm & be connected: self-regulation tools
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activate 50% more brain areas used for memory
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recover from stress, to build resilience
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sleep well & improve sleep disordered breathing
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deliver 50% more correct test answers and improve learning
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provide breathing exercises that match children’s breathing rates
‘The details about children’s breathing is content we didn’t know about and I’d love to see this training in all schools and mental health social care settings, I think it could be really transformative for children’
Course Structure and Content
This course, certified for 3 hours of Continuing Professional Development (CPD), is simple, practical, and easy to integrate into daily life. It provides clear, actionable strategies to support better breathing habits in children—habits that can truly make a lasting difference. Drawing on evidence-informed guidance and practical age-appropriate strategies for children. Engaging and full of surprising insights, this programme provides simple techniques to introduce breathing awareness to support wellbeing, behaviour, sleep and learning.
The course is structured into six video based chapters with practical tips, downloadable PDF resources and workbook to help you apply the learning into your professional or personal life.​
Chapter 1 - Foundations of children's breathing
Chapter 2 - Nasal breathing; to harness the body's unique design
Chapter 3 - Ease of movement; for optimal biomechanics and respiratory synchronisation
Chapter 4 - Air is amazing; the often misunderstood biochemistry of respiration
Chapter 5 - Timed; respiratory rhythm to improve autonomic balance and stress resilience
Chapter 6 - Brain boosting and co-regulation
‘I loved how videos were used as well as you talking us through the theory because it was so good to see the mechanics of breathing and that was so useful to see why it’s not just about getting oxygen in but how our breathing supports our whole body’
Meet The Course Facilitators
Dr Louise Oliver
GP, Functional Breathing Practitioner & Therapeutic Life Coach
Dr Louise Oliver works as an NHS GP & privately as a Functional Breathing Practitioner & Therapeutic Life Coach teaching others to breathe as nature intended on her retreats, BREATH DOC® individual and BREATH DOC® group breathing re-education programmes. Louise stopped her perimenopausal snoring by working on her breathing efficiency with improvements in her sleep, exercise tolerance & stress resilience. Louise is passionate to raise awareness that how we breathe over 24-hours impacts health and well-being and we can change how we breathe. Louise is grateful to have appeared on many podcasts, BBC Look North and is a contributor to Davina McCall's 'Birthing' book.
Charlotte Marsh
Author, Pilates Instructor and Butyeko Breathwork Coach
Charlotte is a Buteyko Breathwork coach, Pilates instructor, specialising in women’s health and founder of Benefits of Better Breathing. She teaches playful Pilates and breathing techniques to children, helping them build strength and resilience. Charlotte is also the author of Susie Sloth and Her Secret Superpower, an award-winning Pilates & Breathing activity book for kids. Through school workshops and parent/teacher training, she empowers children and caregivers with the tools for better breathing and well-being. Charlotte has appeared on BBC Radio Derby & Leicester and her words have featured in Breathe, Juno, Creative Steps & Derbyshire Life magazines.
The Course
3-hour CPD certified course with clear, actionable strategies to support better breathing habits in children suitable for anyone with a personal or professional connection to a child with 12 month access. Includes downloadable PDF resources and workbook.
Learning Outcomes
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Understand healthy breathing in children, including the role of nasal breathing, diaphragmatic movement, and appropriate respiratory rate for different age groups.
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Understand common signs of inefficient breathing in children and differentiate between age-appropriate and adult breathing patterns.
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Develop a curious and informed attitude towards children’s breathing, recognise why it matters, know what to look out for, and feel confident using simple strategies or referring to the right professionals when needed.
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Demonstrate age-appropriate breathing exercises to support children’s self-regulation, stress recovery, and focus.
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Demonstrate how breath control affects brain function and child development and integrate breathing awareness into classroom, clinical, or home environments to create a calmer, more connected atmosphere that supports learning and well-being.
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Explain how inefficient breathing impacts a child’s nervous system, emotional regulation, sleep, behaviour, cognitive ability and learning.
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Explain why common advice given to children about breathing (e.g. “take a big breath”) may be unhelpful or counterproductive in certain situations.
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