Re: Crossing the midline---Please help---Janice

January 10, 2008

Hi Liz,

If you want activities that help with crossing the midline, you can refer to a

program called Brain Gym. THey use exercises/body movements that help with that

specific issue.

;

ApraxiaDyspraxiaBiomedSupport@...: lizlaw@...:

Wed, 9 Jan 2008 19:08:46 -0500Subject: [ ] Crossing the

midline---Please help---Janice

's deal:While I called EI for speech in EI in 10/06, NJ's speech

standards are low and little to no words at 21 months was within normal range:

HELLO The speech plus the hand issue is what qualified him for services. His

tone issues were there as well but he has always had good balance. We have

pursued a program of core strenthening, etc. since summer and have seen

persistent gains along with TLP gains that were immediate. Head loll is

gone.Where we are now:Some fine motor work needs to be done in the hand that got

us services...the right hand. I would not be concerned were it not for all of

Janice's posts on dysgraphia, crossing the midline, etc. so here we are.This is

what I see:He has a definite preference for the left hand. Brushes teeth with it

and prefers to write, such as it is, with it.When we do the balance beam walking

I hold his left hand and he leads with his right foot to walk and does well.

This is clearly what he prefers to do...his natural position. I realized this

today when I did it the other way (held his right hand and he was trying to lead

with the left foot). He eventually did it but not with ease.I am assuming this

to mean he is mixed up. If he is truly a leftie shouldn't he be walking with the

left foot leading and be comfortable?Recent detox brought W sitting occasionally

(had not seen that Since Sept). Also he can still sit and move forward and touch

nose to floor. Then envy of every 40 year old woman but not good for him I am

sure. Lastly, peekaboo flatfootedness during recent detox).Question:What am I

seeing and how do I fix whatever is not good?

_________________________________________________________________

Share life as it happens with the new Windows Live.

http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_012008

January 10, 2008

Thing is, am I right? Oh, and today he wrote with his right hand?

This kid is messing with me for sure.

>

> Hi Liz,

>

> If you want activities that help with crossing the midline, you can

refer to a program called Brain Gym. THey use exercises/body

movements that help with that specific issue.

>

> ;

ApraxiaDyspraxiaBiomedSupport@...: lizlaw@...: Wed, 9 Jan 2008

19:08:46 -0500Subject: [ ] Crossing the midline---

Please help---Janice

>

> 's deal:While I called EI for speech in EI in 10/06, NJ's

speech standards are low and little to no words at 21 months was

within normal range: HELLO The speech plus the hand issue is what

qualified him for services. His tone issues were there as well but he

has always had good balance. We have pursued a program of core

strenthening, etc. since summer and have seen persistent gains along

with TLP gains that were immediate. Head loll is gone.Where we are

now:Some fine motor work needs to be done in the hand that got us

services...the right hand. I would not be concerned were it not for

all of Janice's posts on dysgraphia, crossing the midline, etc. so

here we are.This is what I see:He has a definite preference for the

left hand. Brushes teeth with it and prefers to write, such as it is,

with it.When we do the balance beam walking I hold his left hand and

he leads with his right foot to walk and does well. This is clearly

what he prefers to do...his natural position. I realized this today

when I did it the other way (held his right hand and he was trying to

lead with the left foot). He eventually did it but not with ease.I am

assuming this to mean he is mixed up. If he is truly a leftie

shouldn't he be walking with the left foot leading and be comfortable?

Recent detox brought W sitting occasionally (had not seen that Since

Sept). Also he can still sit and move forward and touch nose to

floor. Then envy of every 40 year old woman but not good for him I am

sure. Lastly, peekaboo flatfootedness during recent

detox).Question:What am I seeing and how do I fix whatever is not

good?

>

> _________________________________________________________________

> Share life as it happens with the new Windows Live.

> http://www.windowslive.com/share.html?

ocid=TXT_TAGHM_Wave2_sharelife_012008

>

January 10, 2008

Liz, you must ignore which hand he uses for a few years! How old is Micheal?

4? So, in this time when his brain is making its own choices with regards to

dominance.... he will flip back and forth and side to side. Pay it no

attention and please do not attempt to influence his choices. This is

important. Dominance doesn't come in properly for a while yet so please leave

it alone. Techniquely, it can take all the way up to the age of 6 for a NT kid

to develop dominance! We shouldn't influence it before this age but let the

brain decide which hand is correct. I know that you are not doing this and are

just observing but I will tell you that he has quite some time to figure out

which side he feels most comfortable with. Expect him to be a little ambi for

that is actually quite normal at his age. It is when they never stop being

ambi-dexterous that we run into problems but little tykes are allowed this

luxury so don't be alarmed when you see him switch back and forth.

If the hand does not develop correct dominance and we accidently influence so

that the wrong hand is chose..... then it is tough to remediate. I got lucky

and Mark's hand is the right one for him but it could easily have been the other

way since he was so equal on each side. I just got lucky that he was not

naturally left handed for this would have meant that he would have had to

relearn how to write with his left hand at the age of 11. I simply cannot

imagine how tough that would have been....

In this age of Early Intervention and early pre-school, this is an area where we

really mess up with our kids.... we try to develop or encourage dominance before

it is ready to come in. Remember our children are late-bloomers and we should

practice more patience in this area. Mark's hand dominance was chosen for him

because he was in a special needs preschool. If I could do it again, knowing

now what I know about development, I would not have allowed the 'specialists' to

do this with my child.

To get his brain working and dominance moving forward to high knee marching and

have him pat the opposing knee when it is raised with his hand. This is great

for mid-line and will work all of his cortical connections. Running is

wonderful for developing cross-pattern movement.

Ignore the dominance of the hands, instead work tactility, finger manipulatives

(ie. finger puppets), lego, theraputty for strength, building sand castles,

working with lead-free wooden blocks, pulling that little red wagon of yours,

all of that type of kid-stuff. This will benefit him greatly.

Janice

Mother of Mark, 13

[ ] Crossing the midline---