| How is bilateral coordination important in Autism? | | | | It is hardly surprising these children show limited |
| A major attribute that places us humans apart | | | | interests, and repetitive movements. They do not |
| from many other animals is our ability to use tools | | | | yet have the physical skills to interact with |
| - our manual dexterity, our bilateral coordination. | | | | objects, and explore their environment, |
| Along with primates, we have an opposing thumb | | | | irrespective of their lack of interaction with people. |
| and separate digits that allow us a greater range | | | | Can we say for definite that the typical autism |
| of grasp and manipulation of objects in our | | | | trait of lining up of cars and objects is not |
| environment. | | | | imaginative play, mimicking sitting in traffic on the |
| We pay a great deal of attention to our baby's | | | | way to the mall for example? Do we also know |
| developing gross motor skills e.g. crawling, walking, | | | | categorically that the child is not testing and honing |
| climbing and running. They are our way markers, | | | | his hand-eye co-ordination and spatial awareness in |
| our important milestones. | | | | this lining up activity... or that he is not developing |
| We pay much less attention to how our babies | | | | his geometric and numerical abilities? Children on |
| learn to use and coordinate their hands, their | | | | this spectrum are known to enjoy intricate |
| hand-eye co-ordination and the complex | | | | patterns! |
| development of fine motor skills. | | | | He knows he is successful in lining up objects, or |
| Achieving bilateral coordination (the competent use | | | | building towers from large blocks - and toddlers |
| of both hands together) and fine motor skills is | | | | like to be successful! I would say that most babies |
| another major milestone in child development, | | | | are not great risk takers, until they know they |
| without which we cannot fully master complex | | | | have minimised the risk. Success is usually spurred |
| physical tasks, including the use of cutlery, | | | | on by receiving external reward and praise from |
| dressing, drawing, handwriting and using scissors. | | | | parents, siblings or carers. Sadly the baby or |
| Nor can we experience fully all the sensory | | | | toddler with autism cannot readily access that |
| information available to us. | | | | either. |
| Have you noticed how many children on the | | | | Young babies tend to use the hand that is most |
| autistic spectrum perform tasks with only one | | | | convenient at the time. If an object is placed near |
| hand? | | | | their right hand, they will reach with that one, but |
| Check out the many videos of autistic children on | | | | if it is nearer their left hand, they are likely to |
| Youtube and those on the Autism Speaks Video | | | | reach with their left. By about 18 months, most |
| Glossary. Compare the dexterity of the 12 month | | | | babies begin to show a hand preference (about |
| old neuro-typical child with the much older 'red | | | | 90% of the time, it is for their right hands) and |
| flags for ASD' children. | | | | by their third birthdays, almost all children can be |
| Why is no one concerned by this glaringly obvious | | | | described as either right or left handed. |
| developmental marker? | | | | |