Updates on Yaya's lefty problem

I was so amazed that i got quite a few feedbacks to my inquiries at the website. http://www.mamasource.com

Here they are:
Question from me:
My daughter will turn 4 in two months. She is left-handed most of the time and we did not really work on changing her preference. But recently she began to spell and write a lot, and i found that sometimes she would spell a word starting from the end, and when she writes, sometimes she writes the mirror images of the letters. I become more and more concerned after seeing her still doing it despite being told the right way. My question here is: is it a normal transition period for a left-handed child or should we seriously work on this problem?



Mamasource Advice Responses
6 Mamasource Moms have shared advice in response to this request.

Sender:
Meaghan (Block)
Date: Thursday, March 30, 2006

Message:
Hello. I am a teacher and have dealt with students who have this problem. First of all, it is good that you have not tried to change your daughter's preference for her left-hand. This is a natural choice for her and there is no reason to change it. The problems your daughter is having with writing are also found in right-handed children (though less commonly). For now, the best intervention you can give your daughter is to simply "model" how to write the letters and words, using your left hand (this might take some practice if you are right-handed) and it will take a lot of repetition. Do not be too severe with this as constant correction of writing has proven to stunt growth in this area (for instance, she may be hesitant to write as she will be more worried about "correctness" than the writing process itself). Be sure that there is plenty of "environmental print" available for her (for instance, items around that house that have writing on them). This allows her to directly and indirectly absorb words as they should be written. If this continues to be a problem in Kindergarten, then I suggests speaking with her teacher and school psychologist to see if there is anything else that may be causing her to do this. For the most part, the mirror writing and starting from the end are coping skills in trying to write IF she has not been SHOWN how to write (and few 4 year olds are regularly exposed to this). Also, having spoken to a friend of mine that is a neurologist (and a lefty), he believes that at this time there is no cause for concern and to just keep working on modeling how to write with her left hand.




Sender:
Ali (Block)
Date: Thursday, March 30, 2006

Message:
Hi. I am left-handed and so are several of my friends. I would never force your daughter to change her hand preference! There is nothing wrong with being left-handed and a quick check around my office revealed that neither I or anyone else here who is lefthanded ever went through any sort of transitional period. A hand preference is just a preference and nothing more. That said, I have a masters in Education and Early Child Development and what this seems to be pointing towards could be either a visual/spatial issue (which is physical in nature) or dyslexia. You should have the physical looked into first before anything.


Sender:
Linda (Block)
Date: Thursday, March 30, 2006

Message:
I am a kindergarten teacher and have seen this in 1-2 children per year in my room. This problem almost always corrects itself during their year in kindergarten. One suggestion is to put a sticker or smiley face up in the top left hand corner of the paper to remind her to start at the top left. This will remind to write from left to right(Left to right progession is mastered during the kindergarten year). This reminder also sometimes helps with reversals. Don't push her on the printing, just keep reminding her, and keep an eye on it as she is in kindergarten. If it continues, talk to her teacher after the first quarter. Good Luck!

Sender:
Ayaba (Block)
Date: Thursday, March 30, 2006
Message:
my daughter is 7 and in first grade. she still has moments where she writes her numbers and letters backwards. according to her teacher this is normal behavior regardless of which hand the child writes with. i suspect it is something your daughter will get the hang of in time. i would just keep encouraging her to write and as a left-handed person myself, i think she will be just fine. :)



Sender:
Diana
Date: Thursday, March 30, 2006
Message:
Ligang, My husband is left-handed and I remember his story about how he used to write in this way when he was first learning to write. If you can go by my husband, it is normal for left-handers. The teachers in grade school helped him out with this.

Diana Chris in Chicago, IL has sent you a response to your Mamasource request that contains a Question or Advice!
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Question or Advice from Chris: Hi Ligang, My daughter is 4 as well and she writes all the words backwards and sometimes even the letters backwards. According to her preschool teacher this is normal for this age and its nothing to be alarmed about



Maria in Chicago, IL has sent you a response to your Mamasource request that contains a Question or Advice!Maria has chosen to share her email address with you. To respond to this Question or Advice, please reply to this email message.
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Question or Advice from Maria:Hi, My daughter is 5 years old and right handed and does the exact same thing. I spoke to her pediatrician and teacher and they both said this is totally normal.
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Jenni in Orland Park, IL has sent you a response to your Mamasource request that contains a Question or Advice!Jenni has chosen to share her email address with you. To respond to this Question or Advice, please reply to this email message.
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Question or Advice from Jenni:At this age it is normal to write letters backwards and words. Kids still write some letters backwards through first grade. Just do lots of modeling for the child and they will probably get it. But give it time, she is still very young. I teach first grade and have a masters degree in reading. Good luck!