Writing Backwards

[usm]

C is 5 and I am noticing he is writing some things, particularly numbers, backwards regularly. I can't remember when I am supposed to be worried about this.

He's also having trouble identifying letters sometimes but I think that is more inattention because it is not consistently the same letters. He has been in speech since 15 months and received OT for about 6 months this year to help with hand strength and attention.

I just have him erase and rewrite. When should I be concerned?

[Katiedid]

Sounds normal to me. Especially with E', 3's, P's, D's, etc. My DD did this through KDG. I can't remember when it stopped but she eventually got it all sorted out.

[jcm]

DD is 6 & she goes back and forth writing come numbers & letters backwards. I am not concerned because it's the same letters and numbers mommabear mentioned. I think those are pretty easy to confuse.

[abs]

I think it's pretty normal at that age. DD wrote her whole name backwards for awhile. She's got that sorted out now but still writes lower case "d" backwards. I'm not overly concerned.

[usm]

Thanks yall! That's what I figured and then I got concerned that I wasn't concerned.

He's also a lefty which is really confusing this house of righties so writing in general has been a learning curve for all of us.

[andrewsgal]

I was told reversals are common through second grade.

[Kcthepouchh8r]

No experience with the writing issue but I asked my sons teacher about not knowing all the letters visually yet. She said that's within the "normal" range of development in early K. As long as he knows some and has some phonics knowledge, is beginning to identify what words begin with certain letters it's totally fine. Not all kids entering K know all their letters and are reading; there's a wide range.

[expectantsteelerfan]

I will be talking to ds's teacher about this at his conference in Nov. His main one is s, and it's in his name, and he writes it backwards about 10% of the time. Hard not to worry about it, but she hasn't said anything yet so I'm waiting till the conference.

[mamaalysson]

Totally and completely normal, and easily the number 1 question asked at all of my parent teacher conferences. Through kindergarten and first grade writing letters backwards and even starting sentences on the wrong side of the page are completely developmentally normal. Just keep modeling it correctly and giving gentle reminders (let his teacher do the nagging reminders) and he will sort it out.

[cna]

Oh hell, my 7 year old still writes his s backwards every once in a while. From what I can tell they kind of let it fly at the beginning of 1st grade but want it corrected by 2nd grade. But yeah, totally normal.