Re: Apraxia and ambidextrous - the connection? (answer from Marilyn Agin MD)

[Guest guest]

" Hi Tammy,

This response is from the " horse's mouth " so to speak! A child with

neurologic " soft signs " like hypotonia, motor planning difficulties,

sensory integration dysfunction, apraxia, etc. may not display hand

dominance at the typical age of ~2 because the brain hasn't sorted

out all the connections, and one cerebral hemisphere, usually the

left, hasn't taken full control yet. With appropriate PT/OT/speech

therapy, the brain learns to become more efficient with the

establishment of hemispheric dominance. A child who still hasn't

achieved hand dominance or crossing the midline, usually has not

established that efficient neural circuitry yet. Most young

children learn to speak with their entire brains, and then when they

reach 2 years old, the act of speaking will drive the neural

circuitry to the left hemisphere. Dr. Nolan Altman, a

neuroradiologist at Miami Children's Hospital, did an interesting

study on a group of speech delayed preschool children, finding that

they were right brain dominant for speech--the opposite of what most

of us are. Now some of us are ambidextrous all of our lives, maybe

have some motor planning problems or are clumsy, but can do just

fine in life because we learn to compensate for our mixed up

brains!

Marilyn Agin, MD "

http://www.speechville.com/late.talker.html

> Hi all!

>

> I was reading in the Late Talker that being ambidextrous (not

showing

> a preference for either hand) by the age of 2 can be one of the

signs

> of apraxia.

>

> Interesting! I wonder what the connection is... ?

>

> It's mentioned sorta in passing in the book (but I'm only 1/2 way

> through! *grin*)...

>

> I'm curious! Do apraxia kids tend to remain ambidextrous? Or are

> they late in developing a preference?!? Or do they ever develop a

> preference?

>

> Thanks!

> Tammy, mother to Max (28 mo, severe verbal apraxia - who still

> doesn't show a preference for either hand)