01/30/2026
Are baby’s left handed or right handed? No they aren’t.
If you notice an asymmetry in your baby’s hand/arm function. Listen up!
CIMT stands for Constraint Induced Movement Therapy.
It’s a technique to maximize Neuroplasticity when a brain bleed or injury has occurred.
Here mom is holding the arm that works well/without any difficulty. If mom was not holding it, then baby would not attempt to use her left arm or hand. The longer baby goes not being encouraged to use her left arm, the more she gets used to using her right arm only. Baby CIMT is not difficult to try with your little one.
When you first notice baby not using one side more than the other, try gently holding their hand that they always want to use and see if they will try to play with the arm or hand they are not using.
CIMT has traditionally been done with the unaffected side being restricted through splinting or even a cast to force using the affected/injured side. Also, for hours at a time, sometimes days/ weeks. Clinical & research evidence has proven it to be effective. Babies do not choose a right or left side dominance until about 3 years of age; so, CIMT should start earlier than 3 years old. In that first year.
NOW …What if you notice your 3-5 month old not using/reaching for toys equally with both hands ? Baby CIMT protocol has come from Sweden and the work of Ann-Christin Eliasson & Lena Sjostrand. Both are OTs. What I LOVE ABOUT Baby CIMT IS THAT it is for only 30 mins/day.
Some premature babies have brain bleeds.
We are learning more and more to start CIMT early… “why wait?”
This little one was born at 23 weeks and had a grade 4 brain bleed on the right and a grade 3 bleed on left.
Drs have told mom and dad she should be quadriplegic, but she’s not!
Her right arm is working typically and her left arm is catching up! Legs are doing amazing too!
If your baby has a traumatic birth history or is not using their arms equally, try this easy to do protocol under the supervision of a therapist. Share this information with a parent you might think be interested in knowing how to stimulate both hands/arms equally.
Comment CIMT if you want more information.
