Re: RE:Archived message: Apraxia and ambidextrous - the connection?

[Guest guest]

I believe that dominance does not fully emerge until about

the age of 7 so I would not yet push a hand preference.

Really try to let that one come in on its own. It can be

hard for we do subtle things like, put the spoon to one side

of the bowl or the child sits accross from an older sibling

and 'mirrors' the movement (thus using the wrong side for

them). For younger kids, they should be sat so they are at

the side of their peers and utensils should be placed so as

not to encourage preference.

It's not so difficult to switch the eye and the ear

dominance but really difficult to switch the hand so we want

the child's brain to get it naturally correct. The child's

brain must choose.

It took us a long time to accurately determine that Mark was

using the correct 'hand' (which he was thanks be to God) for

he was so ambi-dexterous in everything but writing. I knew

that there was the possibility that he could be using the

wrong hand as the 'Specialist' at early intervention had

'decided' his right hand was slightly stronger than his left

so he should be right-handed at the tender age of 5. I now

realize that this woman did not know what she was doing for

'strength' is NOT the determining factor. She also should

not have been playing with his handedness at this young

age... esp. with a kid who had been identified with a motor

planning issue! (The wine is still as fragrant but requires

longer to ferment if you get what I mean... the kid needed

more time)

In the end, we followed Mark's eye since his long term

visual memory was extremely acute and long term memory and

dominance are intrinsicly connected. We thus have switched

over the ear with great results to his long term auditory

memory and will work on that pesky left leg during the

summer months to have it switch over to the right as well.

Again.... as always, it was the 'auditory' that was messing

everything up. (still don't trust those darn ears!)

We still struggle with the ambi-hand but I provide gentle

reminders daily.... " Hey, Kid, which hand are you using....

are you right handed or left handed? " Okay, he's 12 so I'm

not so gentle, just funny. (humour works better with teens)

Dominance is extremely important and very tricky. I would

hesitate to play with this one without professional

assistance.

Janice

[ ] RE:Archived message: Apraxia

and ambidextrous - the connection?

Date: Wed, 04 Jul 2007 15:31:33 +0000

> 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... ?

>

> Gage (just turned 5 this past Sunday) is globally delayed,

> Apraxia, SPD, ASD, echolalia, is ambidextrous both writing

> and playing (soccer, kick-ball etc.) and one of the PT/OT

> goals he has is crossing the midline, this is a daily

> struggle and we do excersizes and activities, coloring,

> writing, tripod grasp is hard for him, so I can see the

> connection. Eating, Gage is now showing a preference for

> his right hand, but is still a switch hitter in

> mobility... HTH

>

> --

> Heidi~

> www.allaboutgage.blogspot.com

>

>