Laterality

A child's understanding of left and right directions, both on their own body and in relation to external objects and other people provides insights into the child's cognitive development, particularly their spatial awareness and ability to understand different perspectives. The assessment works from self-awareness of orientation to more complex tasks of spatial orientation and understanding left/right awareness from another person’s perspective and describing this orientation.

Purpose of the Test:

• Evaluate a child's ability to distinguish between left and right.
• Assess their understanding of spatial relationships and perspective-taking.
• Determine the stage of cognitive development related to spatial orientation.

Body awareness, spatial orientation, perspective-taking and methodology applied to achieving the result are recorded and analysed against normative data. Self and external identification and challenges with advanced spatial reasoning and perspective-taking can be identified.

Delays may prompt further investigation or targeted intervention as difficulties with left/right discrimination can affect letter and word reversals and difficulties in tasks requiring spatial orientation, such as reading, writing, and mathematics.

Appropriate intervention strategies are recommended.