Left Handedness??

Updated on March 05, 2010
H.G. asks from Racine, WI
20 answers

My 2 year old almost always uses her left hand to color and eat. We have no relatives whom are left handed. Isn't it genetic? Does this mean she is left handed or is it too soon to know?

Thanks in advance!!

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So What Happened?

Thank you so much everyone!! I just wanted to let you know that I appreciate all of the responses. Please do not think I would ever be disappointed in anyway, I certainly do not think it matters one bit which hand is dominant. I was simply curious. If anything, I did think it would be a little cool - unique in a way, ya know? But I was not worry or concerned or anything. I guess we shall just wait and see.

Thanks and have a great holiday everyone!!!

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J.N.

answers from Minneapolis on

Well, IF she is left handed....she is going to be BRILLIANT. I heard that left handed people are very smart.....CONGRATS!!!

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K.H.

answers from Rochester on

Hi H....first of all I want to say my "baby girl" is named Cassidy too...she is 18 though! I was using my right hand until I fell out of bed in 1st grade and broke my right arm. With it in a cast and a sling for almost 10 weeks, I started using my left hand. Today, 38 years later, I am ambidexterous (both left and right.) I only write and eat left handed. My daughter, on the other hand, only writes left handed. I don't know about the genetic connection because my mom is left-handed and no one else in her ancestry can remember anyone else as being a "southpaw." At the age of 2, it may be too soon to tell, but having a left handed baby girl makes her that much more special!!!

Good luck,

K.

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L.L.

answers from Milwaukee on

I am a lefty (I am actually ambi-dextrous thanks to the right handed world we live in!) and my mom knew when I was six months old that I was a lefty, and neither of my parents are left handed. My seven year old daughter is not left handed either, although she is curious about using her left hand sometimes because she sees me doing it.

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M.R.

answers from Milwaukee on

Hi H.! Honestly, I feel it is too early for you to kow. My daughter was the same way (and she has many relatives that are left handed). She now writes with her right hand. I could have sworn she would end up left handed because she used that hand for everything, even eating.

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B.M.

answers from La Crosse on

If left handedness is genetic, I have a serious problem :) My parents are both right handed and I'm left. So is my husband, but our 5 year old son is right. I asked the dr and she said it has a lot to do with how they lie in the womb as to which hand/arm is stonger. Also, hand dominance comes very early, so chances are she is a lefty. The only trouble I ever had with it was finding the right school "stuff" like scissors, softball gloves, etc. If you find out for sure, you might want to purchase you own so that she doesn't have to work extra hard to use her non-dominant hand when lefty items are not available.

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L.A.

answers from Minneapolis on

I am left handed. My son started out left handed and is now 6 years old and is definately right handed. He changed when he started kindergarten. I thought we had another lefty in our family--there are quite a few of us.

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S.G.

answers from Madison on

We just noticed my daughter, Natalee, using her left hand as her regular hand to eat, draw and play with toys. My brother is a lefty but that is pretty much it. I see your in Racine, we are about 2 hours away :)

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L.C.

answers from Chicago on

From what I know left-handedness is almost always an inherited "gift" that nothing really should interfere with. But don't ever rest on someone else's laurels, when you are out enjoying a relaxing and unrushed day, stop by the library and look up a few different books an the subject. It won't take long for you to understand what the experts think, and don't forget, we can't understand everything the Creator plans for us, but relaxing and enjoying them will certainly give them room to grow and bloom.

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H.

answers from Minneapolis on

hi, i'm left handed, and so is my dad and many of my "immediate" relatives. it's a great thing, though it can often be frustrating in a "right-handed world" thanx to mass production =) anyways, it sounds like there is a good chance that she is left handed. i once did a bit of research about this, and while left handed parents have a higher chance of having left handed children, it isn't only an inherited trait. at that point what they knew was it had more to do with the rate of development in womb and it's more common in certain situations. my favorite book about it is a fun one called "the natural superiority of the left hander" by james t. dekay

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B.H.

answers from Minneapolis on

I'd think by age two you would know if they are left or right handed. It sounds like she is a lefty. I donot think it's herediatary I have ONE family member in my entire family that's a lefty and her kids are even righty.

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A.C.

answers from Minneapolis on

My child has always done that and she's 4 now and in preschool. Her teacher told me if she is left handed there is no changing that. What she did suggest is to place things in front of her (like the crayon) and let her pick it up with what ever hand she feels comfortable with. I hope this helps.

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D.F.

answers from Los Angeles on

My 3 year old son uses his left hand for everything also. He hardly ever uses his right hand, unless he has to. We believe he will be a lefty, for sure. Then again, my older son who just turned 7, use to use both hands to eat, draw and throw with. When he turned 5 we asked him which hand felt more comfortable to him when writing. He went with his right hand. He can still use his left, but it is not nearly as neat. So your daughter may stay with her left, or she may, as she gets older feel better using her right. It is a personal preference that every human being chooses for themselves.

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S.

answers from Minneapolis on

H.,
Yes, left handedness is a genetic trait. It is a recessive trait, which is why most people are the dominate right handed. However, if you get two people who carry the recessive trait for left handed, even though they themselves are not, then their offspring carry a one in four chance of being a lefty. Which it sounds like your daughter is. You and your husband must both carry the recessive trait. Don't worry, they did not send the wrong one home from the hospital! Try to nurture this difference in her, email me if you have questions about the biology, I know it's goofy.

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C.O.

answers from Minneapolis on

My Son is also 2 and does a lot of things left handed. His father is ambedextrious (sp?). I'm not sure about it being inherited though since he's the only one in his family like that. I wouldn't worry too much about it. I think at this age it is too soon to tell. I figure that when he starts school he'll figure out which hand he'll want to use. Either hand is fine with me. :)

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N.S.

answers from Chicago on

I say no it does not mean she is I am not sure what age I remember hearing is the age when you will know, but when I think I know for sure with my almost 3 year old she will switch and she uses both cause I don't want her to be left it is just harder this world is not made for lefties.

As far as it being genetic it could go back as far as g-g-g-g- parents it could be a cousin or what have you so maybe someone way up the line was a lefty. Hope this helps

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M.F.

answers from Minneapolis on

H.,
In the future your daughter might be an actress :), its known that most actors/actress are left handed. My dad is left handed and got a little bit of both, I play most sports left handed but eat, write right handed.

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P.

answers from Minneapolis on

My daughter is left handed, and we have known since she was about 2.5. Her aunt and great-grandma is left handed, but I am not sure if it is inherited or not.

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K.T.

answers from Chicago on

Some kids don't settle on a dominant hand until they have to start learning how to write. Don't worry about it- left-handedness is a unique quality! If it makes you feel better, go to the library and get a book on left-handedness so you can learn some coping mechanisms to help her out. She's showing her individuality!

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K.R.

answers from Minneapolis on

Congratulations on a lefty! : ) My husband and I are both left-handed, and as far as both our families know, we're the first ones ever in our families. But an important thing to remember is that until relatively recently, it was considered a bad thing that ought to be trained out (my grandmother suggested that my parents tie down my left arm so I'd learn, and I'm only 31). So you may have some natural lefties in your past and just not know it. And as far as it being too early to tell, my 3-year-old is a definite righty, which surprised us a little since the chances of a lefty are so much higher for us with two left-handed parents. It may just be wishful thinking, but my little one just had his first birthday, and I think I'm seeing a definite preference for his left hand already, so I think by 2, I wouldn't be at all surprised if you can tell!

Being left-handed can be hard; for a while, teachers thought I had a learning disability because I was writing all my letters backward. Finally they figured out I was copying the teacher, but the other hand was creating a mirror image of what she wrote. And left-handed scissors are frankly awful! But just support her and remind her how special this makes her, and I think she'll grow up to be very proud of her unique trait!

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H.H.

answers from Duluth on

I am a lefty. It's my unique quality. My daughter is 2 and she uses both hands to throw, draw, eat...so from my experience, she could be either. My parents and siblings are all righty. I have an uncle and cousin who are lefty, but that's it. Don't know if it's genetic, but there aren't too many of us out there. Goodluck.

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