Intervened a left handed child?

Question

My daughter now 11 year old is born left handed. Due to our ignorance, we tried to teach her the 'right' way including writing. She has poor motoring skills and is not doing well in school due to difficulty in concentration. I just learned that this could be due to "convergence problem" because of our intervention to switch her from left to right. Now encouraging her to use which ever hand she is most comfortable with. Any other things we can do to help her further? Thanks!

Answer 1

Good for you for acknowledging your "ignorance". Don't dwell on it too much though. There's nothing you can do to change the past. Just continue to encourage her to use whatever hand is most comfortable. I would also talk to her teachers about anything they might suggest.

Answer 2

This is weird... I was your daughter a (ok more than a) few years ago when I was in school! The nuns made me switch from being a left-hander to a right, 'due to leftys are from the devil' and all that other nonsense. I developed a speech problem as a child, and had to go to speech therapy (the doctors told my parents it was due to convergence problems as well back then) My father took me out after my first year, and let me use which ever hand was easier, I remained right-handed for writing skills since the nuns were rude, and thought they were doing the 'right thing.' She is trying to hard to concentrate on what she was learning, and it will take time, but that's OK, she has a strong chance of being ambidextrous now :)

Oh, I use my left hand for everything else, like eating, driving, and what not, and I remain ambidextrous to write with my left hand. What my father helped me with was teaching me to do things both ways, since in gym, they will teach her 'the right way' and who knows she might go completely left, or go ambi!

And, don't think of yourselves doing the wrong thing, after all, leftys are the people who -literally- do use the right side of the brain! That's what happens when I think it is only 5% or so of the world is left handed, we have to outwit the 'righters!'

All the best!!

Answer 3

Converting left-handed dominance to right-handed dominance is an outdated idea, and thankfully you realize it!
People need to accept children are either right-handed, left-handed, or ambidexrous (both handed). Forcing change is working again their nature and the way their brain works. They're products produced exclusively for left-handers (notebooks, scissors, etc.) and she needs to be encouraged in her handedness. The message early on was left-handedness was not OK, because of the intervention. Try thelefthand.com as a resource.

Answer 4

Not really. Just praise her a lot when she does well. This is the one area where video games can be beneficial, too. My instinct (as a leftie) says to touch her a lot, especially her hands and arms, while you're praising her accomplishments. Just give her time to become re-acquainted with her natural handedness and for her brain to re-adjust. You have already apologized to her, haven't you?

Answer 5

hey my mom was born in texas in 1956 and back then they shunned upon lefties and she was made to use her right hand instead and she's fine. her concentration has nothing to do with what hand you write with. see might be ADD though or just has a comprehention problem

Answer 6

They did that to my mother when she was in school. She uses both but mainly her right hand,

Answer 7

i have to wonder WHY? WHY would you screw with nature?

to help her further, leave her alone when she goes to do something HER way.....

i'm glad you're trying to help now.

Answer 8

wow....i thought all left handed child are smart.............i guess that saying was wrong.

anyways i'm assuming that your daughter have ADD.....you should have her diagnose.....good luck

Answer 9

im left handed. i cant answer your question, it angers me