How soon does a child favor one hand over the other?

Question

My 23 month old seems to prefer his left hand already... but I thought hand preference was not determined until much later in life.

He uses both hands, but he seems to have better coodination and more control with the left. Especially with a spoon or fork.

Answer 1

My 25 month son hasn't show his preference. He still uses his both hand alternatively. However, I did notice his right hand is stronger. For example, for some harder to push button, he can push it with his right, but not with his left. Not sure if that means he will prefer his right hand later.

Answer 2

I remember in health class that they said the finger the baby sucks while in the wombs determines what hand that is naturally dominate. Of course you can be forced to learn to write with one ahnd or the other, but mroe often then not if you were born left handed and forced to write right handed or vice versa it will show up when you swing a bat, or a golf club. You will naturally go to the truely dominate side, my neighbor is right handed but he golfs and plays baseball left handed. So I'm not sure ont he actual facts on this but I'm pretty sure he was forced to write right handed as a child. A lot of older citizens are right handed because being left hand was seen as being a sin.

Answer 3

My 2 year old uses her right hand a lot, but now and then she also uses her left one. Like sometimes I will catch her using her spoon feeding herself with her left hand. I would think definitely by school age you would be able to tell, unless like someone mentioned, some people are able to use both hands.

Answer 4

My child began to give preference to his right hand around 2 years old. At first he would mostly use his left hand, and I thought he was going to be a "lefty" because that's prevalent on his father's side. Not that it matters but I was so sure that he was left handed that I was surprised when I noticed he had started to prefer his right hand.

Answer 5

It is generally possible to tell the handedness of a child by about the age of 3-4 years. Younger children will often experiment with using both hands.

Although "switching" handedness for writing is possible, it is generally recommended to allow the child to use whichever hand he/she prefers.

I believe my child was about 4 before I really noticed him using his right hand over his left. As for my 1 year old I notice him using his right hand more but you never know.

Answer 6

My doc said 3-4 (when they learn to hold a pencil properly) but it looks like everyone has a different opinion. One of my twins favored her left up to 2 1/2 but now at 4 uses her right. I don't think it really matters though.

Answer 7

Both my kids were about 2 when I started seeing them favor a certain hand(both right handed) they can draw and write with both but they preferre their Right hand. Just like any developmetal step, every child will show their preferred side at different times, let them color, it is a small motor skill

Answer 8

My son has favored his left hand since about 6 months old. He is 3 now and is definately left handed. There is nothing wrong with being left handed, embrasse it, its different then most.

Answer 9

my daughter has used her left had since she was 7 months from using her bottle to eating she never used both where as my 2 sons r both right handed and have been that way since about 12 months old so all i say each to their own i guess

Answer 10

That really depends on the child. If you work with your child daily they will thrive. It has been proved that children learn more in the first 5 years than they do the rest of there lives. So smile that your child is developing normally .. Congrats on being a good parent...