Crossing the midline and using hands together - is there anything I can do to help my baby do this?

[ntt]

He will 9 months old next week. He has no problem tracking with his eyes from one side to the other, up, down, wherever. He very rarely uses both his hands together, the only times he does is if he is holding a large easy to hold toy, and even then it's held tight to his chest. He cannot grasp any kind of smaller object if it's close to his midline I have to hold it to the side. I've noticed in the last couple of days that when he tries to grasp an object close to the midline, he'll look away, to one side(?)

I guess this is because there aren't the neurones there should be linking the left and right side of his brain and I want to do what I can to encourage the neurones that are there to connect whilst he's still so young (and his brain is growing so quickly).

We have just embarked upon the process of being referred so we have access to, amongst other things, Occupational Therapy, but this could take months and in the meantime would like to start on some exercises for him. He is having physio for gross motor issues, but the physio can't really help much with his hands. We are working on getting him to roll which she says will help with his midline stuff, but I was wondering if any of you wise ladies might be able to give me some practical advice?

He has "possible" ataxic cp by the way.

tia

You could look at BrainGym although I don't know how young a child it can be used with.

Sam gets support with this from BIBIC, they take 9 month old children (www.bibic.org.uk) and I would recommend them whole heartedly. they can help with costs and the initial consultation is free (done over phone, 1-2 hour chat). You can get an info pack on their website.

Sam does an excercise that involves watching his finger on a completely extended arm as it slowly goes from vertical to horizontal, maybe if you placed a finger puppet on his finger? He also does one where he touches left arm to right leg (bending leg up towards him in a lying position): you could do that easily with ababy. You do left leg to opposite arm as slowly as possible, right leg to opposite arm then do this 20 times.

Sam gets support with this from BIBIC, they take 9 month old children (www.bibic.org.uk) and I would recommend them whole heartedly. they can help with costs and the initial consultation is free (done over phone, 1-2 hour chat). You can get an info pack on their website.

Sam does an excercise that involves watching his finger on a completely extended arm as it slowly goes from vertical to horizontal, maybe if you placed a finger puppet on his finger? He also does one where he touches left arm to right leg (bending leg up towards him in a lying position): you could do that easily with ababy. You do left leg to opposite arm as slowly as possible, right leg to opposite arm then do this 20 times.

Drat, knew that would happen! Blinkin CIA reading my PC again - long story

Thanks Peachy - I 'll do those exercises with him from tomorrow. Hope the CIA get off your case soon

They haven't got me yet today (Standing joke is: I am studying RE at Uni and go to lots of Islamic websites, Dh build electrionic stuff using similar circuitry to detonators.... you get the picture)

lol - do you wear a rucsack on public transport too?

How old is sam and can he sit up on his own? I don't really understand what midline problems actually means in terms of development, do kids have to overcome it before they'll be able to progress?

Sam is 6 and is actually quite able physically, for him it's to do with things like writing etc, it's all linked.

I THINK it's about getting the brain hemispheres to work together, as you know each side of the brain controls the opposite side of the body so when yu move say a pencil from right to left you cross the 'misd line' and so you need to build up links of neurones. it's all realted to balnce, co-ordination too- Sam for example doesn't do stairs with a foot on each in a cross pattern; he steps both on one stair, stops and repeats.