Children with dyslexia and other learning needs often struggle with coordination, spatial awareness, and motor planning. These challenges are not just limited to reading and writing but extend to their overall ability to process and integrate sensory and motor information. One often overlooked but important aspect of development is bilateral integration, which refers to the ability to coordinate both sides of the body efficiently. This ability is closely linked to crossing the midline, a skill necessary for tasks like reading, writing, and overall cognitive functioning.
In this blog post, we will explore what bilateral integration and midline crossing are, why they are essential for children with SEND, practical strategies we use here at Toucan, and activities you can use at home.
What is Bilateral Integration?
Bilateral integration is the ability to use both sides of the body together in a coordinated way. It involves the brain communicating efficiently between its two hemispheres to allow for smooth and coordinated movements. This skill is fundamental for daily activities such as dressing, tying shoelaces, playing sport, focus and even maintaining good posture while sitting in a classroom.
When a child has difficulties with bilateral integration, they may struggle with tasks that require coordination between both sides of the body. This can lead to challenges in fine and gross motor skills, impacting their academic performance and daily activities.
What is Crossing the Midline?
Crossing the midline refers to the ability to move a limb or eye across the body’s midline (the imaginary vertical line dividing the body into left and right halves). This skill is necessary for many essential activities, such as:
• Writing from left to right across a page
• Reading smoothly from left to right
• Brushing hair or teeth with the dominant hand
• Reaching across the body to pick up an object
• Playing musical instruments
• Engaging in sports that require coordinated movement
For children with SEND, challenges with midline crossing can affect their ability to track words across a page, maintain proper posture while writing, and process information efficiently.
Why is Bilateral Integration Important for Children with Dyslexia?
Dyslexia is primarily a language-based learning difficulty, but research shows that children with dyslexia often have underlying motor and coordination difficulties. Here’s how bilateral integration can support kids with dyslexia:
1. Enhancing Reading and Writing Skills
Reading requires the eyes to move smoothly from left to right across a page, which involves coordinating both hemispheres of the brain. If a child struggles with bilateral integration and midline crossing, they may have difficulty with visual tracking, leading to problems with reading fluency and comprehension.
Similarly, writing requires hand dominance and coordination between the dominant and non-dominant hands. A child who has weak bilateral integration may struggle with letter formation, spacing, and maintaining a comfortable pencil grip.
2. Improving Hand-Eye Coordination
Hand-eye coordination is essential for tasks such as cutting with scissors, drawing, and typing. Children with poor bilateral coordination may have difficulty aligning their hand movements with their visual perception, making it harder to complete fine motor tasks efficiently.
3. Supporting Cognitive Processing and Memory
Bilateral integration isn’t just about movement—it also impacts cognitive functions. The brain’s two hemispheres must communicate efficiently for memory, problem-solving, and learning. When children struggle with bilateral coordination, they may also have working memory issues, affecting their ability to follow instructions, retain information, and organise thoughts effectively.
4. Encouraging Spatial Awareness and Organisation
Many children with dyslexia also experience difficulties with spatial awareness, which affects their ability to organise information on a page, understand mathematical concepts, and navigate their environment. Poor bilateral coordination can lead to clumsiness, difficulty understanding left and right and trouble with concepts like symmetry and sequencing.
5. Boosting Confidence and Independence
When children struggle with movement and coordination, they may avoid certain activities, leading to frustration and low self-esteem. Developing bilateral integration skills can help them feel more confident in their abilities, leading to greater independence in everyday tasks as well as academic performance.
Signs of Bilateral Integration Difficulties in Children
A child with poor bilateral integration may display the following signs:
• Difficulty with crossing the midline (e.g., switching hands instead of reaching across their body)
• Struggles with reading fluency and tracking words across a page
• Poor hand dominance (frequently switching hands for writing or eating)
• Difficulty with gross motor tasks like running, jumping, or catching a ball
• Challenges with fine motor tasks such as tying shoelaces, buttoning clothes, or using scissors
• Poor coordination and balance
• Avoidance of activities that require both hands working together, such as playing musical instruments or sports
How to Support Bilateral Integration Development
The good news is that bilateral integration and midline crossing can be improved with targeted activities. Here are some effective exercises and strategies we use at Toucan to help children strengthen these skills:
1. Cross-Body Exercises
• Cross Crawls: Ask your child to touch their right elbow to their left knee and then switch. This encourages midline crossing and strengthens brain connections.
• Windmills: Standing with legs apart, the child reaches their right hand to their left foot and then switches sides.
• Figure Eights: Drawing large figure eights in the air or on paper helps reinforce smooth, cross-body movements.
2. Fine Motor Activities
• Stringing Beads: This requires using both hands together, strengthening coordination.
• Lacing Cards: Encourages hand-eye coordination and bilateral control.
• Cutting with Scissors: Helps develop control of both hands while crossing the midline.
3. Core Strengthening and Balance Activities
• Animal Walks: Activities like bear walks, crab walks, and crawling encourage coordination and core strength.
• Yoga Poses: Poses like the Warrior Pose, Cross-Legged Sitting, and Twisting Poses engage both sides of the body.
• Balancing on One Foot: Improves stability and midline awareness.
4. Play-Based Activities
• Throwing and Catching Games: Passing a ball from one hand to the other strengthens bilateral coordination.
• Clapping Games: Rhythm-based hand-clapping games encourage synchronisation between both hands.
• Building with Blocks: Encourages hand stability and coordinated movements.
5. Writing and Drawing Techniques
• Sideways Eight Drawing (Infinity Symbol): Helps improve eye-hand coordination and visual tracking.
• Large-Scale Writing: Using chalk or markers on a large whiteboard can encourage broader arm movements across the midline.
• Tracing and Mazes: Encourage children to use one hand consistently while tracking lines across the midline.
Bilateral integration and crossing the midline are foundational skills that impact a child’s ability to read, write, and perform everyday tasks efficiently. For children with dyslexia and other learning difficulties, spending time strengthening these skills can lead to significant improvements in academic performance, motor coordination, and overall confidence. You can add targeted exercises a few times a week or even better, incorporate them into your child’s daily routine.
If you notice that your child has significant struggles with bilateral coordination, consider working with an occupational therapist or specialist to develop a more bespoke plan. As always, if you have any questions about this topic, you can contact us here at Toucan.
