Left vs Right Brain Delay
Being a little stronger in one brain hemisphere is a trait that can be seen in families. It can become a problem when one hemisphere becomes more dominant and a disconnect or delay occurs in the other hemisphere.
The left and right hemispheres work together in an integrated fashion. They do the same things but do them differently. Ideally, a close balance between the hemispheres is optimal for comprehensive brain functioning.
When one hemisphere is overly active or dominant, it can cause an imbalance between the two sides. This can cause difficulty in learning, communication, focus and behaviour, affecting work, sport, relationships and even self-esteem.
Think of the body as a car and the brain like the engine. The left brain is like the gas pedal to Go, Go and Go... and the right brain is like the brake to stop, hold back and inhibit.
Some characteristics of a LEFT brain delay
A left brain weakness will often first appear as academic problems with poor word reading, speech delay or language difficulties. They often start out as easy relaxed kids with great social skills. They are friendly and well liked by their peers and parents often describe them as easy kids. They rarely show any hyperactivity.
Early problems may show as illness - especially chronic ear infections which may impact on their hearing development and thus contribute to learning problems that have not yet manifested. These children may be clumsy when working with their hands (poor handwriting and fine motor skills) but have great gross motor skills and love physical activity such as being outside. They often have good balance so enjoy bike riding and sport but they have issues with timing, rhythm and understanding the rules.
Problems with Language are common, with difficulty learning letters and sight words (difficulty in sounding out words) which creates a dislike of reading as they find it very difficult to decode the letters (DYSLEXIA). They may also have poor memory. They will avoid reading aloud in class as they may feel self conscious about their ability and then shy away from doing the tasks as set by teachers. These are the children that are then very difficult to motivate to learn as they start to see the divide between them and their peers causing poor self esteem in the older primary school years. This can then lead to a defiance and a big change from the younger, loving, happy child of preschool years.
Some characteristic of a RIGHT brain delay
Those with a right hemisphere deficiency often have poor attention spans and behavioural issues. They often have low muscle tone in the large muscles and are therefore uncoordinated and not great at sports. They have difficulty interpreting social cues and reading non-verbal communication (such as body language and facial expression) and this can affect their ability to make and maintain friendships because they just can't seem to do things right, socially.
Academically they are often strong early in life, and start school with good reading, maths and spelling skills. However, as they get older they can struggle with maths and understanding the meaning of what they are reading (comprehension), NOT reading the actual words. They often struggle socially in school early on and have frequent tantrums, meltdowns and act impulsively. People with a right hemisphere deficiency can also struggle with sensory issues – either over or under sensitive. They are often very picky eaters and can seem to be addicted to certain foods – often gluten and dairy. They can be more at risk for autoimmune disorders, eczema, asthma and allergies including hay fever.
Diagnoses that may be associated with a right brain deficiency can include ADD, ADHD, Asperger’s syndrome, Autism, Tourette's, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD), Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), Non verbal learning Disorder (NLD), Pervasive Developmental Disorder (PDD), Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD).
