- CAN HANDED PREFERENCE IN BABIES BE A SYMPTOM OF A DISEASE?
Handed preference in humans develops after the age of two. In all babies under the age of two, both hands and arms are actively used. With the development of higher brain functions in parallel with the development in infancy, one becomes either right-handed or left-handed.
Having a hand preference at an early age is definitely not a normal situation. If such a situation develops in the early months, it indicates a brain disease. In our clinic, we frequently see early development of handedness in children with cerebral palsy (babies with developed cerebral palsy). As it is known, our brain developed from two main parts, like two parts of a walnut, and are glued together with a structure we call corpus callosum. The right side of the brain regulates the left side of our body, and the left side regulates the functions of the right side. Therefore, if an event occurs in one side of the brain, there will be dysfunction on the opposite side of the body. In our country, cerebral palsy is seen in 3 babies per 1000 live births. Most of these babies develop hand preference in the early months. The development of handedness may be caused by other diseases other than cerebral palsy. Especially in infancy, it can be caused by birth trauma due to difficult birth, paralysis due to neck and arm nerve injury, brain hemorrhage, brain tumor, muscle and ligament diseases and orthopedic problems.
If a baby has developed hand preference before the age of two, it is essential. It should be evaluated by a Child Neurologist. In this way, treatment will be possible with the early detection of serious underlying problems.
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