CROSSING THE MIDLINE - A STUDY OF 4-YEAR-OLD CHILDREN

Midline crossing refers to behavior that results in reaching, stepping , or looking across the body's midline. Several studies have indicated that infants, young children, and individuals with disability make mo re errors on midline-crossing tasks than on similar tasks placed at th e ipsilateral side. Until recently, assessment of midline crossing has used a spatial protocol and has been criticized for not having a temp oral component. The purpose of this study was to assess midline crossi ng by 9 4-yr.-old children within an information processing context. A nalysis indicated that contralateral tasks required more processing li me than similar tasks placed ipsilaterally.