Left-Handed baby?

Question

My son is almost 11 months old, and shows a definite preference in using his right hand (for playing, eating, etc...) My husband and I are both lefties--can he still possibly become left-handed? Also, how many of you are both left-handed and have a right-handed baby?

Answer 1

Kids usually don't make up their minds until they are about 3 or 4 years old. My middle child (who is almost 4) still has not figured which hand he prefers to use for writing, etc. He can write with both hands.
My youngest son (who is almost 3) prefers to be left-handed, but will still use his right.
It is quite possible for your son to be right-handed. I have seen 2 right-handed parents have a left-handed child. Take a look at both sets of grandparents and aunts and uncles....how many of them are right or left-handed???

Answer 2

There's a possibility that your son could become a lefty. When your son is 2 or 3 he might show a preference to the hand he will be using. Some can wait until school age (5 or 6).

Examples:

My grandparents - both right handed
Their kids (one of which is my dad) - all left handed.
Me, my sis and bro - all right handed
My kids: Oldest - right handed, Middle - left handed waited until he was in kindergarten to decide he wanted to use his left hand, Youngest - still up in the air since he just turned 1 and he is using both.

Check out the Baby Center article about this.

Answer 3

Yes, he's probably a right hander. Sounds like you were hoping he'd be a lefty like you both, but at least most things are made for him.!!! Yes, even though you both are leftys he can still be right handed, and the odds are always in favor of right handed babies - no matter what the parents are.

Answer 4

First, you won't know for sure the handedness till he's 2-3 (as per our Ped). Second, he could be ambidextrous, just give him time. Third, he may switch hands when he develops more motor control. Fourth, it's entirely possible for 2 lefties to have a right-handed baby, my sister did. And my husband and I are both right handed and have a left handed son!

Answer 5

Hi, I think that is too young to really tell for sure .. My daughter did things mostly with her left hand for the longest time..and then around 2 or 3 she used both or picking up things and playing..BUT when ever she colored for wrote her name she used her right hand.. AND NOW she is 6 and is still right handed.. The link below talks more about this.. it said that as early as 18 months you can sometimes tell for sure.. But who knows he might end up being left handed. I have 3 brothers... My second oldest brother and I are both lefties... BUT nobody else in our family is..

Answer 6

I'm left-handed (so is my brother, but neither of my parents are). It also depends on the tool. I've learned to use scissors right-handed (it's easier than finding a left handed pair). I golf right handed for the same reason, though I bat left (a bat is ambidextrous).
I shave right handed, but eat, write, throw, and drive with my left hand.

My daughter is right-handed (but, so is my wife).

My understanding is that your preference is controlled by brain activity. I've heard (no source) that making a child change preferences can hurt them developmentally.

I'll try to find some sources and edit this.

Some researchers argue there is evidence for cases of "pathological" left-handedness related to brain trauma during birth. And many researchers trace the cause of handedness back to pre-natal, interuterine developmental processes, back to the time when the fetal brain is first developing distinct cerebral hemispheres. In the 1860s the French surgeon Paul Broca noted a relationship between right-handedness and left-hemispheric brain specialization for language abilities. But the hand-brain association is neither a simple, nor reliable, correlation. Studies conducted in the 1970s showed that most left-handers have the same left-hemispheric brain specialization for language typical of all humans--only a portion of left-handers have different patterns of language specialization.


So the bottom line is, we have a good general idea of the causes of right-handedness in human populations, but we have yet to work out the precise details, including why the direction is right instead of left.

Answer 7

My daughter uses mostly her right, but occasionally will use her left with her utensils when she eats. I think a definite preference isn't for sure until they are almost school age. There are also people who can use either when they are older. I don't think left handedness is genetic (but it could be, I don't know). I have a brother who is the only lefty out of our family. You'll just have to wait and see!

Answer 8

I am a lefty, but was brought up right handed. I think there is more of an advantage when you are ambidextrous. Take a look at the article from the link below, perhaps it can help you with your question. The rest of the site is very cool too.

Answer 9

Sure it is, my husband and I are both right handed. My 3 yr old son, I am still not sure what hand he is going to use yet. He eats with his right but throws with his left and plays with it.. You will know when time comes.

Answer 10

its possible it also depends what your and your husbands parents are lefty is a ressesive gene witch means that even if only one of the grand parents are lefty the is a 25% chance one of your kids will be lefty my aunt is lefty my cousin is righty try to have someone else teach him how to write my little cousin got so confused on which hand to use and how to write i dont know what my uncle was