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First with Kids: Left -handed vs Right -handed

Left-handed vs. Right-handed

Parents have been asking me a handful of questions lately about when they will be able to determine if their new child is left- or right-handed. Let me hand-off some information on this topic that may help:

• Approximately ten-percent of people are left-handed. If both parents are right-handed the chances for a lefty are two percent. If only one parent is right-handed, the chance of a lefty offspring increases to seventeen percent. If both parents are left-handed, it's about fifty-fifty. Also, twice as many males as females are left-handed.
  
• Although most infants will begin to reach for things with their right hand beginning at 5-6 months, often they will shortly begin to use the left hand as well. It is not until the child is approximately two years old that parents can fairly accurately determine which hand is preferred. If, however, you notice that your child is only using one hand exclusively before age two, please alert the pediatrician, since it may represent a weakness in the muscles of the unused hand.
  
• While some studies suggest lefties are more accident prone, it's actually the simple result of having to survive in a world largely designed for right-handed people, so take that idea with a grain of salt.
  
• If you are a righty and need to teach a lefty, don’t try to transform them into a righty. Studies have shown this leads to problems with reading, writing, speaking, and other motor skills, along with frustration with school and schoolwork. Instead, just sit opposite your child, and be their mirror—they’ll learn a task like tying shoes more quickly.

Hopefully tips like this will allow you to do the right thing so you are left knowing how to cultivate your left-handed child, rather than force him or her to become a righty. This is pediatrician Dr. Lewis First from Vermont Children’s Hospital, reminding you to always be first with your kids.