Anyone heard the one about reading ability being linked to loss of first tooth?

[sameagain]

DS2 (YR1,just 6) is struggling with reading, to the extent that the school have identified special needs and he has the appropriate plan etc, which is great.

My mum (ex teacher) told me yest that she has heard on the radio that reading is just like walking - they do it when they are physically ready and this will often be around the time they lose their first tooth.

Now, DS1 was a very good reader in reception, but he did lose his first tooth while in the reception class. DS2 still has all his milk teeth. What do you think?

[ihavenosecrets]

Complete nonsense.

[zeke]

Sounds like a load of rubbish to me!

My son cut his first teeth early (18 weeks) but has yet to have a wobbly one (he is 4 yrs 11 mths).

I very much doubt whether he is top of the class for reading as he is a summer born boy. However, he is on blue band, can read the first 100 high frequency words on sight and can read the next 200 by a mixture of sight and decoding so he is probably above average.

[Wallace]

I think they were saying that the link is with physical development - co-ordination and eyesight for a start I think.

It is interesting, but we would need everyone on Mumsnet to answer for their children to get a good sample size!

[sitdownpleasegeorge]

Complete nonsense IMHO.

We've just had our very first visit from the tooth fairy and ds is just finishing ORT level 14. He's 6

Presumably an old wives tale caused by the fact that most kids pick up reading skills at about the same time as they start to lose their milk teeth.

[scienceteacher]

We could all post our reading age and tooth fall out stats.

As for my five, they basically started reading shortly after starting school - good causal link there.

My DD1 started formal school in Year 2 as a non reader, and funnily enough, she held onto her milk teeth until they were transparent - around age 7. And she had just learnt to read a few months before then. By this evidence, you don't lose your teeth until you can read.

Nonsense, of course, as far more Year 6 children have adult teeth vs those who can read.

[FabBakerGirlIsBack]

surely all year 6 children can read?

[popsycal]

bollocks
ds1 - excpetional reader
only just lost his first tooth at almost 7

[popsycal]

i was a fab reader and lost my first tooth at around 4 and a half

surely first tooth losage has more to do with....well.....not how good a reader you are anyway

[popsycal]

oh actually, I am 35 and still have a milk tooth....

[Wallace]

I do love the way statistics can be (mis)used, scienceteacher. My older two were both rather late losing their first tooth, and they are both summer birthdays. Therefore children with summer birthdays lose theeth later

To add to the thread I can't really remember when they lost their teeth or when they learnt to read, but first tooth was coming up 7 or even already turned 7.

Pretty sure they were reading fluently before this.

[Wallace]

When I was telling my mum about this bit of news she thought I was trying to say that learning to read was linked with all milk teth falling out

[maverick]

It's just Steiner folklore. Ignore, as it's total tosh

?Waldorf schools discourage children from reading before the age of 7. In fact, some experts in the Waldorf community consider this type of early development "a tragedy" Why is the Waldorf point of view so different than the bulk of academic research on this subject? The answer can be found in Waldorf's alternative theory of child development, which is based on Rudolf Steiner's clairvoyant insight on the human being. The timing of this proscription against reading corresponds with the "cutting of the teeth," which Steiner indicated as a developmental milestone, with the incarnation of the etheric body in children. Steiner says early reading will hinder the later spiritual development of children? www.openwaldorf.com/academics.html

[foxinsocks]

bit like shoe size and penis length I reckon

[snickersnack]

I read an article about this the other day - some scientist claiming that it was something to do with brain development. It did make some sort of sense, and now I'm kicking myself that I can't remember where I saw it. It was somewhere mainstream - but I can't find it online. Am going to go away and think about where it was I saw it...

[FAQinglovely]

DS1 lost his first tooth in YR1 (end of the year) - picked up reading properly at a similar time.

DS2 - reading really well now, and he's just coming to the end of reception - no sight of any even vaguely wobbly teeth yet,

[bronze]

not sure what I think. Ds is most advanced in class for reading and first to lose teeth. (apart from child who knocked them out) He was reading long before the teeth came out thoush
My first reaction was tosh though

[LilianGish]

Isn't this Steiner mumbo-jumbo - some tosh about them not being fully reincarnated until they lose their baby teeth?

[Isaidno]

ds1 lost his first tooth today. He will be 6 in 2 weeks time. He has been able to read since he was just about 3, fluent reader for nearly 2 years.

So imo it is bollocks.

[wed99]

I agree with Isaidno my eldest reading at 3 first tooth fell out in year 2 . My youngest DD did not really get going with reading until year 1 and also lost her first tooth a few months ago in year 2 .

[BONKERZ]

my DS is 8 and he has a reading age of 10yrs 4 months. He didnt lose his first tooth till he was 7 and a half!

[DontCallMeBaby]

Don't know where this would all leave DD, who has had a wobbly tooth for six months - it is currently hanging on by willpower alone and thoroughly grossing out everyone who catches sight of it. Hm, actually it does sometimes feel like it takes her six months to read a book ...

[snigger]

I agree a lot of the checkpoints we create for our kids are probably as arbitrary as walking and talking ages, but whether they are linked?

Personally, I'm in the 'no' camp, tis gubbins.

[moondog]

I don't think it's rubbish, i know it is rubbish and have cut and saved article expounding 'theory' as a mirth inducing example of baaaaad ass science.