Being left-handed is a characteristic that 10% of the population has. If your child is part of that percentage, he needs you to help him from home so he doesn’t feel strange about it. And the first step is to know if you have a left-handed child.
Some theories say that the predilection for one hand or the other begins from the womb; in fact, surely the hand that the baby always has closest to the mouth is the one that will be used the most. However, other studies point out that children are ambidextrous until about three years of age, when they begin to opt for one hand or the other when taking the pencil, throwing a ball, playing with a doll, using cutlery to eat …
In what there is scientific coincidence is that around the age of five it is already possible to affirm with certainty whether a child is right-handed or left-handed. Before this age they can modify their preferences from time to time and, while they are defined by one limb or the other, it is best to let them experiment. In the end, your brain will be the one to tell you which side of the body you will have the most skill with.
Left-handed from feet to hands
It is essential that you know that the preference of your little one not only involves the hand but also ears, eyes and feet, therefore it can be right-handed and left-handed, for example (what is called cross laterality), without that this has any type of negative consequence or generates any problem. There are also cases of ambidextrous minors in which they can perform functions with both parts of the body.
HOW DO YOU KNOW IF YOUR CHILD IS LEFT-HANDED?
See which hand, foot, or eye you use when doing some activities spontaneously, such as:
- Catch a ball.
- Look through a kaleidoscope or other object that only requires the vision of one eye.
- Clean a surface with a rag.
- Brushing teeth.
- Carry a full glass of water.
- Cover or uncap a bottle.
- Kick a ball.
- Take a picture.