thread: Great. Another reason to worry.

  1. #1
    Registered User

    Mar 2008
    Nth West Melbourne
    997

    Great. Another reason to worry.

    As some of you know, I am already a bit freaked out because DS is not pointing when he apparently "should" be- mummy instinct tells me all is ok, but its still playing on my mind a bit.

    So just when I was really trying to not fret about it, I decided to look up something else- I noticed that DS seems to really favour his left hand and I wondered if at 15 months, this could be an indication of left-handedness. And what do I find out? That an early preference for one hand is NOT a good thing and can be a developmental delay and should be taken seriously. So now I have a whole new thing to freak out about!

    Ugh. Oh well, I am seeing my MCHN next week about the pointing thing, so I will ask her about the left preference as well. And try not to worry until then.

    This parenting thing is hard!!

  2. #2
    Registered User

    Oct 2006
    Sydney NSW
    4,837

    DS showed a very strong preference for left handedness from a young age unlike his sisters who were using both until about 3 or 4. He is 3 now and has no motor problems at all (the opposite actually he is very good with his gross motor)
    Don't worry it's all good!!

  3. #3
    Lucy in the sky with diamonds.

    Jan 2005
    Funky Town, Vic
    7,070

    Oh hunny will you stop it? He might just be left handed.

    Please give yourself a break xoxoxoxo

  4. #4
    Registered User

    Dec 2007
    Sunny Qld
    14,682

    Yeah we thought DS was going to be left handed, but he'll be 3 in january and we see no preference for either hand at the moment - so it was probably just wishful thinking

  5. #5
    Registered User

    Mar 2009
    2,269

    I'm sure it will be fine, try not to stress xo

  6. #6
    Registered User

    Jul 2007
    melb
    8,498

    Hun dont sweat the small stuff, he is reaching most milestones when he should.

    Not all kids do things at same rate would be pretty boring if at 4 months on the dot all kids get 2 teeth, at 6 month on dot all kids sit up, 12 months they all walk.
    They are just guidelines hun relax and enjoy him as he growing up before your eyes.

    DS has been slower than most in mothers group to do pretty much everything! He still only has 4 teeth at 14 months and has only just started standing up holding onto things himeslf.

  7. #7
    BellyBelly Life Subscriber

    Jun 2005
    Blue Mountains
    5,086

    Both my kids have shown strong preference for handedness early on. DS has always been a lefty, and DD is definitely a righty!

    I spose if it's a preference in that they hardly use their other side at all.. then yeah.. something could be wrong.. but just showing handedness with pencils or whatever wouldn't be a problem... would it?? ...

  8. #8
    kirsty_lee Guest

    wow, babe, ava is a left hander. Both her grandfathers are. I am not worried at all and she is not developmentally challenged at all. Please please please do not stress yourself with small things like this hunny. If there was something wrong with him you'd know! Please don't worry he's fine. If he's left handed that's fine! I certainly don't worry about ava being a lefty, if it's what she finds comfortable go for it! And ava didnt point until about a month or two ago. It's pointing?! Doesn't mean shes challenged. Don't stress babe PLEASE

  9. #9
    Registered User

    Mar 2008
    Nth West Melbourne
    997

    Thanks all. I know in my heart everything is fine. If I could convince my head of that, all would be well!

    I think I should ban myself from googling.

  10. #10
    Registered User

    Jul 2007
    melb
    8,498

    amberj google is not your friend!!!! Do not visit anymore!!!!!!!

  11. #11
    Registered User

    Sep 2008
    SE suburbs of Melbourne
    197

    amberj, don't worry! I was dominant with my left at first, then only occasionally used the right hand...i turned out ambidextrous....ds has shown a preference for his left hand too..i'm sure it's nothing, I'll ask my mchn next week as ds will be 8 mos then..will let you know if she says anything (just so you can have another opinion to put your mind at rest!)

  12. #12
    Registered User

    Jul 2008
    summer street
    2,708


    Try not to worry. I am a shocker for thinking the worst possible scenario, so I understand the tendency...

    Listen to your heart on this one.

  13. #13
    Registered User

    Dec 2007
    Geelong
    3,438

    Oh Amber big hugs to you hun. It is hard not to worry but unfortunately as mums that's our job . Bella also had a preference with her left hand and still does but also uses her right. Her eldest brother is left handed so I'm presuming she will be too. She's nearly 2 and only started walking a month ago. As others have said children develop and reach milestones at different stages.

    Regards,
    Dianne

  14. #14
    Registered User

    Mar 2008
    Nth West Melbourne
    997

    feeb i know! the thing was, I wasn't even looking for something bad or something to worry about- just for something cool on left-handedness. Google is a dangerous world!!

    BabyQ- thanks, I will be interested to see what your MCHN says! (knowing MCHNs it will probably be different to what mine say, right?!)

  15. #15
    Registered User

    Oct 2006
    Sydney NSW
    4,837

    Trust me as a kindergarten teacher we don't sit there and say "oh that ones bright must have walked early/teethed early etc" By the time you get them to school this all won't matter.

  16. #16
    Registered User

    Nov 2005
    Where the heart is
    4,360

    Even the MCHN might flag something incorrectly, depending on how much attention she paid during her Professional Development sessions! Mine did a development assessment (actually, she's no longer mine, I sacked her after her first attempt when my other one retired ) really, really badly. I KNEW her methodology was crap right from the start (not sure if she remembered that I'm studying psych!) and when she gave me her verdict (I was really interested to see where her dodginess would lead) I nodded and never went back to her. The next one agreed that the other one had gone about it all wrong...including the bit where she didn't ask my permission and didn't tell me she'd started (but I'd figured out what she was doing anyway).
    The verdict? He had failed the language part of the test. So, now he's 3 and a bit and speaks clearer than just about any other 3 year old I know Mummy just KNOWS.
    I second the motion: NO GOOGLING!