Parents are absolutely enamoured with each developmental milestone of their children. Whether it’s a child learning to walk, learning to talk, or everything in between, parents can’t help but be fascinated with watching their children grow and develop.
One of the many things parents are able to track as their children grow is a child’s handedness or hand dominance. Is there a way to know if baby is left or right-handed? What could this mean for his development?
Baby’s dominant hand
More often than not, a child will grow up to be right-handed; approximately 90 per cent of the population is right-handed. This means that only a small per cent of the population is left-handed and an even smaller percentage can use both hands (ambidextrous) so it’s typically a safe bet to assume your child will prefer using their right hand as opposed to their left.
Sure, it’s safe to assume that they’ll be right-handed, but what if there were a more definitive way for a parent to determine which hand will be their child’s dominant hand? According to Deena Blanchard, MD, there is.
Before we dive into the ways in which a parent can determine a kid’s handedness, it’s important to note that early on in a child’s development, they’ll be actively using both hands.
It’s partly how they develop their motor skills and it’s often too early to tell your child’s hand dominance before the age of one.
In fact, Blanchard suggests that if your child displays significant hand preference before their first birthday you should contact a paediatrician immediately. If this is the case, your child may have problems developing their motor skills.
Hand preference before 18 months
Hand dominance is typically determined around the two to the three-year mark. However, Blanchard asserts that “[s]ome children will show a hand preference as early as 15- to 18-months-old and some will not choose a dominant hand until age 5 or 6.”
Genetics is one of the biggest components of determining your kid’s handedness, though experts still aren’t entirely sure why. As a small example of the impact of genetics on hand preference, it’s been proven that boys are twice as likely to be left-handed than girls.
How to know if baby is left or right handed
Parents’ genetics may be a leading factor in determining a child’s dominant hand, but there are ways in which mums and dads can keep track of which hand their child will eventually prefer. Here’s what Blanchard suggests:
“To get a sense of whether your child will be right- or left-handed, watch which hand he uses for common tasks, such as picking up a toy or feeding himself.
You can also look at what direction your child stirs a pot during pretend play; if he stirs counterclockwise, it’s more likely that he’s left-handed.
Another clue to whether your child will be right- or left-handed is which hand he uses to hold a crayon. And, when you roll a ball to your toddler, he’ll usually reach for the ball with his dominant hand.”
Simple exercises to determine handedness
Try out these exercises. | Image source: iStock
When parents use the following exercises, it is important to note that the child should not think of it as a test. If a teacher is testing a child, it is best to test one child at a time to avoid confusion.
1. Toy hammer
Present your child with a hammer toy with pegs that pop out, and let your child pick up the hammer himself. Don’t hand the hammer to her. Make note of the hand he uses.
2. Hand puppet
Get two hand puppets and place them both on the table. Ask your child to pick one first and note the hand he picks it up with. After this, pick up the other hand puppet and roleplay with your little one.
3. Play ball
A simple game of ball will help determine which hand your child is more comfortable using.
4. Screwing lids on jars
This is yet another simple skill that requires a child to use the hand he is comfortable with.
5. Eating utensils
When placing eating utensils such as spoons and forks, place them above the plate instead of them just on the right. Let your child pick it up and eat it with whichever hand he is comfortable with.
6. Lock and key
This exercise is great for a child three and older. Lock a padlock and give your child the key. Again, don’t hand it to him, keep it down and let him pick it up.
Keep a count of how many exercises were done with the right hand and how many were done with the left. This should help you determine which hand your child prefers to use.
If your child hasn’t yet chosen his or her dominant hand, we hope these simple exercises will help determine your child’s handedness.
Should you always stick to training only the dominant hand?
While many parents believe that training a child to prefer one hand over the other (or even to use both hands) is beneficial, quite the opposite is true. In fact, Blanchard believes that you should avoid trying to “hand train” children altogether:
“[S]ome part of hand dominance is neurologically hard-wired. Trying to force her to learn to use her non-dominant hand will only lead to frustration and lack of confidence.
It also will prevent her from performing tasks to the best of her ability, which can damage her self-esteem.”
Whether your child is part of the overwhelming population of right-handed people, the lesser population of left-handed people, or the rare population of ambidextrous people, you have to understand that it’s part of their neurological development.
Parents shouldn’t strive to alter their baby’s hand preference, but instead should be encouraged to embrace whichever hand is chosen to be the dominant hand.
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Left-handed child development
The brain is divided into two hemispheres: left and right. Previously, brain researchers assumed that handedness reflected which hemisphere of the brain was dominant. If this were accurate, it would mean that other brain activities regulated by this ‘dominance’ would be altered as well.
This does not appear to be the case; for example, regardless of hand preference, the speech centres tend to reside on the left side of the brain.
Another issue that researchers face is that handedness isn’t always black and white. While some people use their dominant hand for all jobs, others switch hands depending on the activity. For example, some people write with their left hand but open jars with their right.
A right-handed person was traditionally thought to have general dominance on the right side of their body, implying that their preferred foot, eye, and ear are also on the right side. This isn’t the case, as we now know.
Image source: iStock
Left-handedness was also once thought to be a developmental anomaly by scientists in the early to mid-twentieth century. It was linked to a variety of developmental issues, from linguistic difficulties to mental health issues. Many left-handed children of the time were forced to write with their right hands to “retrain” them.
Today, we recognize that handedness is a gradient ranging from severely left-handed to strongly right-handed, rather than a binary trait (left or right).
Children can use both their left and right hands equally for simple movements like reaching for objects as their motor abilities develop. This is due to the fact that the task can be completed with both hands.
Are left-handed babies smarter?
According to Healthline, left-handed people were substantially more likely than right-handed people to perform better on an intelligence test, according to a 2007 study published in the Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology. Right-handed people also took longer to finish the test.
Another study published in the journal Brain in 2019 found genetic differences between left- and right-handed people.
Scientists observed that among left-handed people, the left and right hemispheres of the brain were better connected and coordinated in language-related regions after. This was after analyzing data from over 400,000 people.
These characteristics show that left-handed people have better language skills.
Advantages of being left-handed
Being left-handed provides a number of advantages, including:
- People who are left-handed have an advantage in a variety of activities, from fencing to boxing.
- Because right-handed sportsmen aren’t used to playing against left-handed opponents, the sporting advantage also includes surprising the right-handed opponent.
Disadvantages of being left-handed
Because 90% of the population is right-handed, left-handed people face a number of challenges, including:
- Writing in the Western world is written from left to right. To write without smudging the ink, a left-handed individual must ‘crab’ their hand.
- When left-handed children start to write, they frequently write backward (‘mirror’ writing). This is a natural propensity, not an indication of dyslexia, and with time, practice, and support, it will fade away.
- Scissors, for example, are made to be used with the right hand.
- Circular saws, for example, can be deadly if used with the left hand instead of the right.
- According to several studies, left-handed people are more likely to have learning disabilities, epilepsy, and autism. Other researchers say that current evidence suggests that handedness is unrelated to learning problems.
There’s really no issue if your baby prefers to use his left hand over the right. It can still change as he develops. Moreover, regardless of which hand is more dominant, you should still work on developing all of your child’s muscles for better control and coordination.
If you have any concerns regarding your child’s motor skills, don’t hesitate to consult his paediatrician for proper assessment.
Updates by Margaux Dolores from TAP PH
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