INTERESTING INFORMATION

MIDLINE CROSSING :
Midline crossing is the ability to spontaneously use the hand in the contralateral hemisphere space. For example, a child will reach with the right hand to their left side, to pick up an object, and vice versa. Children develop this skill by practicing trunk rotation, use of two hands in activities, and doing bi-lateral tasks involving the body. Midline crossing stimulates the development of a dominant hand, facilitates good bilateral coordination, visual perceptual skills, and fine motor development.

DOES MY CHILD HAVE A MILINE CROSSING DIFFICULTY ?
When working at a desk top, children with midline crossing difficulties may have a tendency to swap use of hands during a task, turn their page of book sideways, or sit sideways in their chair to facilitate using the dominant hand on only one side of the body. This behaviour can lead to the child being distracted, as they are constantly trying to shift to get comfortable. Poor coordination of dissociated movements in activities like star jumps, scissor jumps, and marching, is a sign that midline crossing may not be consolidated, and that more practice of these skills is required. Many parents claim that their children are ambidextrous, but there is a very low percentage of ambidexterity, and it is often confused for poor midline crossing.

HOW DO WE STIMULATE MIDLINE CROSSING ?

• Encourage your children to climb sideways on a jungle gym, crossing hands and feet as they move.
• Games like swing ball, cricket and tennis, where two hands are holding the bat / raquet are great for crossing the midline.
• Pretending that their feet are stuck in the mud, you can play throw and catch with your child. Throwing the ball to them from different sides will facilitate trunk rotation.
• Place a rope on the ground, and with hands placed in front of the child on the rope, jump their feet together from one side to the other side.
• Large arm movements, using finger paint, drawing on paving with chalk, and stenciling your own hand are good activities to practice.
• Encourage children to use their dominant hand in picking up pencils to draw, while their non-dominant hand plays a supporting role in stabilizing the page.
• Hand clapping games are excellent.
• Washing cars, windows and walls; washing dishes; pretending to irn are all fun games to try in the home.