By: Integrated Learning Strategies
Mixed Dominance is a pattern in which one side of the brain takes charge and the other side takes up the supporting role. This is why most people are right-handed, as the left side of the brain controls the right side of the body and the right side does the left side of the body. However, when some body parts are right-side dominant and others are left-side dominant, this can cause confusion and slow a child down when they attempt to retrieve that information. Dr. Jean Ayres said that if the two sides of the brain cannot work together and communicate, they both tend to develop similar functions.
Mixed dominance can lead to emotionality, ADHD, and obsessive-compulsive behaviors, which can be detrimental to learning. Mixed dominance can also disrupt reading, comprehension, and writing, as it can lead to reversals, hand-eye coordination issues, and difficulty with hand-eye coordination. Additionally, mixed dominance can lead to ambidextrousness, clumsiness, disorganization, and poor performance on tests.