United Brachial Plexus Network, Inc.

I am looking for any documentation and anything pertaining to using a non-dominant hand for all dominant tasks (like writing, cutting, etc.) (because the dominant hand is injured)

Also looking for documentation showing that the non-dominant hand is automatically weaker than the dominant hand.

Also looking for information on motor planning.

Anybody have anything in their favorites that you can just pop up??

thanks!
-francine

No joy so far, but I will ask Joshua's special education needs teacher next week.
She seems quite well read on the subject, one of her pupils is left handed & was forced to use the right.... it has lead into all sorts of problems for him.

I know it can have an impact on learning difficulties, but so far I haven't found anything through my searches...

Good luck, let us know if you find anything...
perhaps dyslexia, dyspraxia & ADD links may give something.

Love Pauline

Sorry, another aspect I should mention is that most dyslexics do not crawl... I do not know what research has been done here, and I am not sure but Joshua's SEN mentioned it can have an impact...
they use brain gym at school to help with the coordination of opposite sides of the body ( during crawling, right hand & left leg are used simultaneously, and vice versa... such an important stage of development)
Perhaps our kids could do other exercises to compensate if crawling stage is missed...

Any other leads yet?

Love Pauline

Well maybe I can help here my brother and sister are left handed the chances I would of been left handed are high,my erbs is in my left arm and my brain always trys to signial my left arm I always thought that was strange.So maybe I can help here?

PAULINE - thank you for asking that special needs teacher - that will be very helpful. Also, I have looked at the Brain Gym concept before and have, with your reminder, placed a call to the local contact. I am convering our back room into a sensory gym for Maia - we are getting a therapy swing, and other stations in there... I read stuff on dyspraxia and it was very interesting. I'm going to set up an appointment with an educational psychologist. Thank you!!

MASTER DIVER TOM - thanks for your help, too. Maia is having problems with a teacher in school not understanding any of this stuff - so whatever you can pass on to me for the teacher to read would be very, VERY helpful! Thank you for your help!

Hello Francine,
My son is also in Kindergarten. He is LBPI, but my sister was Left handed and he does alot things with both hands. I see it as causing some confusion... for example he will try to write first with left then transfer to right. He finger foods with left, fork with right. Recently, he was diagnosed with Sensory Integration and Motor dispryia (spelling). It is a motor planning disorder that affects fine and gross motor skills. He is having trouble with sequenting, organization skills, copying from the board, handwriting - spacing the letters. He just started PT for it. His PT discribes the disprayia as the inability to copy or plan for sequential movements. His teacher is not understanding either, however, I met with the principal and getting him covered under special ed to help him in school. My son's OT told me that the sensory Integration and Motor Disprayia is all due to the immaturity of his nervous system due to the BPI nerve damage at birth. It is hard to get an accurate diagnosis of Sensory and Dispraxyia so a good doctor is needed. I took my son to a Neurogolist who was a specialist in Sensory integration. He was highly recommended by my son's OT. He recommended cognitive OT, PT, Sensory OT and sensory diet, as well as school recommendations. Like allowing more time to respond to directions, break directions up into steps, no copying from the board paste material at table. All of this will allow him to stay in his regular classroom. Hope this helps...

Bugzntazz....WOW! you just wrote everything I needed to know!!!

Can you explain what cognitive OT is?
sensory diet?
sensory OT?

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!

One of the best things is holding a small ball and grasping it in the domiate hand and it foucs the mind on that had and also you it in the erbs hand to increase grasp.this has help me for many years.start with a tennis ball and then a hard rubber ball,over all it help me to drive a semi ( grasp)it help. your friend Tom

First you know I care about every child here! The fact is this a blind person hears better.I was 1 mo late my mom was 5,6 I weighed 12lbs when I was born and my mom died in my good arm,wishing she could of help me more,I told my mom thank you for letting me be a child and holding me when I couldnt do things, I told her that you know I am a Semi Driver and A master Diver She cryed and smiled and died!Evey mother and dad try so hard today there is operation etc.Doctors in my day never yous the word congential for Erbs.Please with all my heart you are doing the best that you can do for your child!! Fight the fight with teachers and who ever wants to discrimate aganist your child!! you know my mom gave me this corage to fight my discrimation case today! Its all about corage and trying!! which no one here lacks!! As far as a domiate arm goes,I had my Erbs at birth but I had a inlage heart and had to be put in a encubater for 3wks!! The problem with erbs is what will my child not be able to do!I promise with all my heart your child will have a life and you need one to!! Love Tom

Below are two interesting links....I'll keep looking...

http://www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/fa ... determined


Also...Did Leonardo Da Vinci have a bpi? Interesting Link

http://www.stanford.edu/~mgorman/essays/Tom/Cere.html