Writing Backwards: How and Why Do Children Sometimes Write Backwards?
Reverse writing is a phenomenon that occurs frequently among children, especially when they are still learning how to write. Often parents, when they find that their child overturns the letters and numbers or writes them "in mirror", immediately panic, fearing that there may be some serious problem, first of all dyslexia.
In fact, if you've seen your child write backwards in his school notebook, don't be alarmed: it is much more frequent than you think, especially in the early years of learning. So let's try to understand together why this strange phenomenon occurs in such a common way among the little ones, what are the main causes and when, in fact, it is appropriate to worry.
Heave a big sigh of relief, Mom! Writing backwards is a frequent phase, it will pass with growth, and children - unfortunately - grow really fast, as our timelapse demonstrates!
Writing backwards: how and why does it happen?
Writing on the contrary, as we have said, depends on problems related to the fact that children's brains are still in a development phase. There are two main causes for which this phenomenon occurs, most frequently - it must be said - in the case of left-handed children.
The first cause in fact concerns the problem of the so-called "laterality": it is in this phase that children understand which hand they prefer, whether the right or the left. It therefore happens that the child can show a crossed or left-handed laterality, thus starting to write from right to left, the most natural and spontaneous way for a left-handed! This phenomenon, beware, occurs even if the child is not destined to become left-handed.
The second cause, on the other hand, is related to visual perception. Often children at that age have not yet fully developed the visual system and struggle to perceive changes in mirror letters such as b and d, or changes from top to bottom such as b and p. Their spatial orientation system is still basic and does not correctly perceive the symmetries of letters and numbers and this consequently causes difficulty in the child, who ends up writing backwards.
Numerous studies have shown that writing backwards has no connection with intelligence. Children who write backwards have nothing less than others, indeed! It could, according to some, mean greater creativity.
When should you worry?
If your child is used to writing backwards, you have nothing to worry about, that's normal! However, if the phenomenon persists even in old age (from 7-8 years onwards), then perhaps it is appropriate to ask a specialist to verify that there are no learning disabilities. Just contact your doctor or doctor. ASL.
Verification must be done for safety, but it does not automatically mean that your child has an ailment! It could be a simple developmental delay and it will recover quickly naturally. You cannot impose timelines for these things and the best approach is always to not put pressure on the child, not to make him feel "wrong", but rather to encourage and support him in the study with love and patience. This will certainly favor his improvement! And it doesn't matter if he won't be top of the class at school for now ... show him you believe in him!
How to help your child if he is used to writing backwards?
The important thing, dear mother, is to stay close to him and make him practice writing and rewriting the letters in his notebook until the gesture becomes automatic. Do not put pressure on him because the fear of making mistakes could prevent him from making progress, blocking him.
You can try to correct his natural instinct starting from the bottom up by making him make spiral designs always starting from the top and then moving downwards. Or you could tell him to start writing a letter or number always starting at two o'clock on the clock.
And remember to alternate the exercises with some fun, for example with these nice chores to do together:
