There are ways to re-teach our bodies to identify our right side and left side easily.

Training our right/left awareness, or ‘laterality’ doesn’t have to be hard but it needs motivation.

Here are some simple activities to try at home

1. Giving directions
   Ask the child/adult to turn left at a tree or to open the door on the right. Young children could also be asked to raise their left arm or wiggle their right foot. 
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2. Bubbles: 
   Blowing bubbles is a simple activity that demonstrates direction movements to a child. Blow bubbles and discuss how the bubbles float and land, such as on top of the table, in front of the fence or over your head. 
   
   
3. Over, Under, In and Out: 
   Ask the child to find three items that are under, on and in something. 
   E.g. a teddy bear behind the chair; a spoon under the window; a book on top of the shelf.
   Use phrases that will help the child to visualize a concept. 
   Emphasize walking in and out of different rooms and areas. Point out lights and ceilings that are over your head and the carpet or flooring that is under your feet. 
   Demonstrate standing under an umbrella when the rain falls down. 

  
In vision therapy at Sindy Lowinger Optometrist, we do repeated exercises to train the brain with touch, sound and visual clues to embed the skill deep within the senses.
Here are some for you to try. Click the links and have a go. 

1. Angels in the snow
2. Directionality arrows
   *note skip to 2min30sec for this second video to begin.
*Please note that these are not instructional videos but examples for you to see how the exercises work.

Adults and Children alike, it is never too late to re-train the brain.
 
For more info drop us an email or click  HERE to find out more and book an appointment.


Good luck!

Which is your left foot?

Which is your right hand?

Have you ever been driving the car and been told to turn left? Suddenly you make the turn and... oops! You meant the OTHER left!?

Spatial awareness is knowing where we are in space:

• What is to the left and right of us.
• Which way our body is facing.

It is a skill we learn when we develop as children but it is not always solidified in our minds and it can leave our "rights and lefts" a little confused.

So why is an optometrist writing about this?

Simple.

When we can't tell the difference between our rights and lefts, then some letters and numbers can be easily confused when they look the same.

• 'b' and 'd' 
• 'p' and 'q'

They look like exactly the same letter! 

And how about words:

• 'was' and 'saw'
  
  

Reading the letters or writing and forming the letters can be easily confused when we don't know which side it is meant to start from.

SO WHAT CAN WE DO ABOUT IT?
It is never too late to re-learn our right-left awareness.

CLICK HERE to see the next blog post to read about exercises to do at home to train the rights and lefts of our body!