Question

My 15-month-old boy seems more prone to using his left hand rather than his right to pick up toys or food.

I'm worried that being a left-handed person might inconvenience him when he grows up. My friends say I should correct him now before he turns two. Should I? And how?

- Madam Jessica Yap, 33, auditor

Answer

Move into the 21st century, woman! We are no longer in medieval Europe, where left-handedness was associated with witchcraft. The wizards and witches are gone (although they live on ad nauseum in Harry Potter movies and books).

Left-handedness is common nowadays and there are entire retail universes devoted to serving lefties. (Find tools, stationery at sites like simplylefty.com, lefthandedportal.com)

Left-handedness (as well as right-handedness) is inherited, experts say.

Dr Terence Tan, a consultant paediatrician with Kinder Clinic at Mount Alvernia Hospital, said there is very little parents can do to "correct" left-handedness because the child will use his hand of preference.

If he is genetically programmed to be left-handed, any attempts to force him to change might cause more damage than good, in a situation known as "contradictory left-handedness".

The boy will feel pressurised and it could cause other problems.

You wouldn't want your child to end up with dyslexia or start stuttering, would you?

Worse, if he gets motor disorders like clumsiness or nervous tics.

But, if he is very dependent on his left hand at 15 months, Dr Tan suggested his mum to consult his doctor to rule out hemiplegia - a weakness on one side of the body.

A physical examination by his doctor should confirm this, he added.

I know, the world is unfair. It is built for the right-handed people, with tools tailored for them. Even teachers are propagating writing styles meant for right-handed people.

Don't worry, these learning difficulties are just minor inconveniences, and the boy will adapt to. Call it the lessons of life, and he simply has to experience them slightly earlier.

Oh PS: A predominant use of the left hand means a more developed right brain.

Which means he could be a creative genius in the making - or the next leader of the most powerful nation in the world (Mr Barack Obama is a leftie) or Singapore (like Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, signs documents that impact our lives with, you guessed it, with his left hand).

So stop fretting and enjoy the uniqueness of your child.

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This article was first published in The New Paper.