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Behaviour/development

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Original poster

Left handed child - lump on finger due to handwriting

16 replies

maria1665 · 31/07/2009 05:40

I've just seen my ten year old daughter's hand and she has a lump the size of a sugar cube on the side of her finger due to the way she writes. She's a left hander.

Has any one else any experience of this. Any tips re helping her re hand writing especially re specialist handwriting pens.

Thanks.

OP posts:

RoseOfTheOrient · 31/07/2009 06:05

I'm a left-hander, and I had one of these lumps on my middle finger as a child. It shrunk when I stopped writing by hand so much (i.e. when I started using computers more...). It is still slightly raised even now (I'm 41)
Not much you can do about it...does it hurt? mine never did - it just looked a bit unsightly, but not many people noticed tbh.
No idea about specialist pens. Is her handwriting affected by it? My handwriting was fairly neat. (except when we had to use fountain pens...then because I was left-handed, I used to smudge all the ink as I wrote...god, I hated that! Of course, they probably don't use fountain pens in school now, right?
sorry, not much help...

DjangoTheDjinn · 31/07/2009 06:16

I have one and am right handed. Always had it and still hold my pen very, very oddly. Never worried about it tbh. My handwriting is very neat indeed, always was.

jooseyfruit · 31/07/2009 06:20

i am a left hander and had a small lump on my middle finger when i was a child, it's gone now though ( i'm 37!!)
size of a sugar lump is pretty big on a kids finger.

have you tried the specialist left hand pens?

bloss · 31/07/2009 06:28

Message withdrawn

ICANDOTHAT · 31/07/2009 08:51

I had the same when at school, especially as I got older and essays got longer .... my ds1 is a 'lefty' and he tried specialised pens but didn't like them. You can try looking here:
www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/acatalog/child_left_handed_pens.html

Although I don't think it will get rid of the lump, it may be more comfortable/natural for her to use one.

bigstripeytiger · 31/07/2009 08:57

I am right handed, and I have a lump on my finger due to writing.

ChopsTheDuck · 31/07/2009 09:01

is it worth trying grips on the pens? somethng liek an ultra grip which would correct her grip might help, and they are symmetrical in shape so I would think they'd work for a left handed writer too.

Original poster

maria1665 · 31/07/2009 09:02

Thanks for you reassuring comments re the lump. Her handwriting is desperately neat and it is because she tries so hard.

I have a strong suspicion she is dyslexic which may account for why her writing is so slow and laboured - hence also the lump. She is the most determined girl you are ever likely to meet, and tries VERY VERY HARD at every thing.

She has been told that she has to use a fountain pen in Year 6. I never thought that might make things better - I'll look out for one that stops working if you press too hard.

Thanks

OP posts:

ICANDOTHAT · 31/07/2009 09:06

Children with Dyspraxia also press very hard on the paper .... what's she like with her gross and fine motor skills? co-ordination etc ....

fishie · 31/07/2009 09:06

yes me too another lumpy fingered lefty - fountain pen could be a nightmare, try to get a lh one

Original poster

maria1665 · 31/07/2009 09:10

Gross and fine motor skills are good - she dances, is good at sport etc. She is incredibly untidy though! Does this count!

OP posts:

ICANDOTHAT · 31/07/2009 09:23

We'll let her off !

Chunkamatic · 31/07/2009 09:49

Hi, i'm right-handed but have always had a lump on my finger due to the fact i hold my pen in a very peculiar way... when i was little I was given special pens and grips but this was more to try and correct my grip than anything else, anyway it didn't work!

Having read this thread though I have realised I press quite hard when I write. The lump isnt painful normally but if i'm handwriting for any length of time it hurts and goes a bit purple!

What does your daughter think of it?

Original poster

maria1665 · 31/07/2009 10:39

She doesn't think its a problem, and was surprised when I was so shocked. It is quite unsightly but she's cool about it, except that it hurts sometimes.

OP posts:

DjangoTheDjinn · 31/07/2009 10:44

Yup mine goes purple and hurts sometimes if I write for a long time. I can't use a fountain pen at all. I hold my pen at a steep gradient, almost a right angle to the paper so couldn't get ink out of a fountain pen. Teachers used to slap my hands with a ruler to get me to hold a pen properly and it didn't work at all.

LIZS · 31/07/2009 10:45

I'm like Chunkamatic. Righthanded and never held my pen properly. It actually hurts now more that I only wirtie occasionally than when I was writng every day at school. Yoro pen or Stabilo Easy Move may make it easier to maintain the correct grip and a slope may help any wrist fatigue from re-learning. Has her seated posture ever been assessed ?

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