Help! My child is writing with both hands.

Screening children for the various therapies we run is a critical aspect of our work. Sometimes, parents are curious about their child and want to understand why their child behaves in what they perceive to be 'strange behaviour!'

For our Cogmed working memory training, children need to be able to use a hand-held computer mouse. Recently, when screening a child for working memory training, the mother revealed that her child writes with her left hand and uses the computer mouse with her right hand. Also, when using scissors, her child would use her right hand; these were the only anomalies for her left-hand daughter.

Can children use both hands? Does it matter?

We should not change how a child develops their hand preference.

However, as a rule, they should be discouraged from using both hands for the same activity. So, writing with one hand and scissors and a computer-mouse with the other is fine. But they should NOT move the pencil, mouse, or scissors from one hand to another and become confused beyond year two of school.

Unfortunately, we live in a right-hand dominant world. And those who have a dominant left hand are at a distinct disadvantage. While upper body strength can show dominance, the upper body is in more equilibrium compared with the speciality of fine motor hand control. Upper arm strength must be more balanced, and children must maintain their grasp with both hands, e.g., when they hang off monkey bars. Most of the power comes from their shoulders and arms. If they had one arm significantly stronger than the other, they would end up losing grip and falling. We each have a stronger arm, but this dominance is less apparent than in our hands.

As adults, we adapt to using both hands for fine motor activities such as typing. However, children must develop fine motor control, e.g., writing with one hand, before making such adaptations. Mastering using one hand for fine motor activity is called hand dominance. We also dominant feet, eyes, and ears! It is an essential part of our development.

  
What happens if my child is left-handed?

Accept that this is their hand of preference. Understand a left-handed person would want to draw shapes anticlockwise and a right-handed person clockwise. The dominant hand leads the direction. The left-hand person wants to move left and right to the right. If they use a pen/pencil with both hands, they may need clarification on the direction of letters when forming these symbols and may not see their mistake ie- letter reversals. Remind your child by placing the equipment, i.e. pencil, paintbrush, and scissors, in the preferred hand. If they don't have a single-hand preference, you must guide them to what they prefer because it is an essential aspect of fine motor control.  

Anchoring directionality

Regardless of which hand your child uses, it would be best if you helped anchor directionality. By this, I mean they need to understand their right from left easily. Here are some shortcuts you can try.

1. Put a red thread on your child's right wrist. They need to remember that their right hand is the one with the red thread. If they are left-handed, they avoid the right hand and use it if they are right-handed. Either way, the thread helps them navigate to their preferred hand each time without getting confused. I always use red thread because 'red' and 'right' start with the letter R.

2. You can create table mats made of A3 paper with an outline of the fork and knife in the correct position—the fork on the left and the knife on the right. The outline helps children set the table correctly and use the correct utensils in their proper hands.

3. Tracing an infinity sign. Have your child trace the infinity sign, and they must work towards drawing in independently themselves. Tracing or drawing the infinity sign  helps children navigate from left to right and cross the middle line.

1. Labelling right-left on cupboard doors or taps will be another reminder for body awareness.

Once children can anchor left and right in themselves, they will have the skills to talk about navigating themselves spatially. They can understand the instructions: the bathroom is on the right, and the kitchen is on the left. Anchoring is essential not just for spatial orientation but also for understanding prepositions.

Before children can understand left, right, top, and bottom, they must experience this in their bodies first.

Dyslexia? Dyspraxia? ADHD? ASD? Speech & Language? Developmental Delay? Anxiety?

Is every school day a struggle? As a parent, you may feel exhausted and on this journey alone. Each year you see the gap getting wider. You need to do something - change the approach, help your child learn for themselves, find a way to turn this around - to help while you can - do this NOW. the first step is free.