Return-Path: <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Received: from literacy (localhost [127.0.0.1]) by literacy.nifl.gov (8.10.2/8.10.2) with SMTP id f0TGnK914511; Mon, 29 Jan 2001 11:49:20 -0500 (EST) Date: Mon, 29 Jan 2001 11:49:20 -0500 (EST) Message-Id: <d0.10c2776c.27a6f83c@aol.com> Errors-To: listowner@literacy.nifl.gov Reply-To: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Originator: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Sender: nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov Precedence: bulk From: KathleenBombach@aol.com To: Multiple recipients of list <nifl-povracelit@literacy.nifl.gov> Subject: [NIFL-POVRACELIT:372] Re: seeking appropriate terminology X-Listprocessor-Version: 6.0c -- ListProcessor by Anastasios Kotsikonas X-Mailer: 6.0 sub 352 Content-Type: multipart/alternative; boundary="part1_d0.10c2776c.27a6f83c_boundary" Status: O Content-Length: 3485 Lines: 58 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit Dear Kate: Isn't this a discussion we already went through? If so, please refer to the list archives. I believe it was thoroughly discussed last fall. There is a theory out there (with some supportive evidence) that the normal brain is left dominated, hence the normal person is righthanded. Left handedness arises when the brain is somehow does not complete this differentiation. This is why lefties (but not righties) are frequently only partially lefthanded (may write with left hand but play righthanded ball games), have higher rates of LD, developmental delays, maleness, math appitude, handwriting problems, and accidents (all of which have been reported at one time or another). It may also be related to the differentiation between maleness and femaleness in the fetus: left alone, all embryos would become female. In order to become male, a series of hormones must be produced by the male fetus himself (not the mother) in a particular order, which creates more opportunities for something to go wrong or at least not quite right. It may also be related to environmental toxins which could explain why lefthandedness is increasing, rather than the commonly held theory that lefties were forced to write as righties by teachers. Although that may have happened prior to the 50's or 60's, that theory does not explain why the increase in lefties continues even now, nor does it explain why lefties may be prone to LD, developmental delays, maleness, math aptitude, and accidents. Kathleen Bombach
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