Have you ever thought about the skill involved in pulling a door open with one hand or effortlessly tying your shoes? These everyday feats are a testament to the automaticity of motor movements, particularly the marvel that is crossing midline.
Now, if you're wondering, "What on earth is crossing midline?"—don't worry, we've got the lowdown in this blog post.
This blog post breaks down the key aspects of midline crossing, addressing challenges and providing research-backed insights into its vital role in preschool development.
Then we will look at ways that you can determine if your kid is experiencing problems in this important skill.
So let's dive right in!
What exactly is this mysterious "midline," and why does it matter?
The midline, an imaginary line from head to belly, is a pivotal point for various movements.
Imagine the midline as a magical line dropping from the middle of your kiddo's head, zooming straight down over the nose, all the way to that little belly button. This invisible divide creates their body's left and right sides – the midline.
Now, let's explore how our bodies move in relation to this line.
Think about the last time you held a phone. You likely held it on one side and turned your head in that direction, right? That's an example of an activity that doesn't cross the midline; it stays localised on one side of the body.
Contrast this with activities like reading a book or brushing your teeth. In these cases, the dominant hand takes the lead, turning pages or manoeuvring the toothbrush, while the non-dominant hand lends a helping hand. Although the activity is centred around the midline, there isn't much crossing over from one side of the body to the other.
In other words, simple actions like holding a phone may remain localised, while activities like reading engage the midline.
However, some tasks demand a more intense midline crossing. Imagine dressing your lower body – one arm reaching across the midline to guide the opposite foot into a pants leg. Even pulling on socks involves both hands reaching to one foot, with the right arm crossing the midline when tugging on the sock of the left foot.
So, when we talk about crossing the midline, we're referring to moving a hand, arm, foot, or leg from one side of this imaginary line to the other.
Midline crossing is not just about limbs; it includes twisting the body in rotation around this line and leaning the upper body across the midline.
Midline crossing actions are usually automatic, part of our muscle memory and motor planning.
Why does crossing midline matter, you ask? Midline crossing plays a vital role in developing fine and gross motor skills.
Crossing the midline is not just a normal way to move, it's a motor skill that lays the foundation for coordinated movements. It is what makes bilateral hand coordination possible—the skill of using both hands together in synchronised precision.
This dynamic ability is a game-changer for both fine and gross motor tasks, playing a major role in shaping those functional skills your child needs for daily life.
For one, bilateral hand coordination plays a significant role in mastering midline crossing.
When your little one efficiently crosses midline, they're unleashing the power of their dominant hand in skilled tasks. One hand takes the lead while the other becomes the trusty sidekick.
When a child reaches across the midline for an object, they're manipulating the world around them in all directions, showcasing sensory integration through vestibular, proprioceptive, and visual input.
The ability to use both hands together seamlessly empowers kids to conquer the challenges of crossing midline with finesse. It's not just a motor skill; it's a symphony of movement, where both hands play crucial roles in the dance of coordination.
It is important that you catch any problem your child might experience in midline crossing early one, so that they can receive corrective therapy.
This is why it has become common practice to take your child to an occupational therapist during different stages of their development.
One of the most important jobs of occupational therapists is to perform personalised evaluations on a child. During these evaluations, they look at your child's ability to perform those underlying skills that influence everyday tasks.
Crossing midline is one of the skills that form part of every OT evaluation. Skilled therapists can identify midline crossing challenges through play and other interactions with your child during assessments.
What a therapist will typically do, is to observe a child during playtime. It is simple to spot a child's tendency to avoid midline crossing in their activities.
When faced with everyday tasks, a child grappling with midline challenges might exhibit a reluctance to naturally cross that invisible line.
As a parent, you can look out for telltale signs like hand-switching during handwriting, body rotations instead of trunk twists, or weight shifts instead of graceful leans over the midline.
Watch your child as they perform daily activities like kicking a ball, tossing bean bags, and even the seemingly simple tasks of putting on pants and shoes. Is your child circumventing the crossing of their midlines during these activities?
It is also a good idea to create activities for your child where they have to cross the midline. For example, place items strategically to the left and ask them to reach over the midline with their right hand or vice versa.
Difficulty with visual tracking and reading might also be clues that point toward midline challenges.
A child facing midline issues might play a tricky game during handwriting. Both hands become pencil wielders, each getting its fair share of practice in manipulation. It's not a deliberate act of rebellion; it's their clever workaround to cope with midline challenges.
Difficulty with midline crossing manifests in hand-switching, excessive twisting, and mixed dominance.
Here are some telltale signs that crossing the midline might not be as seamless as it should be:
Your child's ability to cross the midline has a profound effect on both their gross and fine motor skills.
The result is struggles with fine motor tasks like writing, colouring, or manipulating utensils, as well as gross motor challenges such as jumping, skipping, or crawling. Additionally, issues with laterality and maintaining one's place while reading across a page may surface.
Luckily, there are various activities that you can do with your kids to help them overcome these difficulties—which is exactly what we will explore in a follow-up blog post.
We hope you've gained insights into the crucial role midline crossing plays in a child's development.
But remember that if there's a hiccup in your child's development, Fitkidz is there to help. If your child has problems crossing the midline, we will step in and get them back into the groove!
Join us on this ongoing adventure as we continue to unravel the secrets of child development and the boundless potential within each child!
Receive articles like this one in your inbox every week.
We care about the protection of your data. Read our Privacy Policy.