handwriting / numbers

[hamilton5]

My youngest is 4 and although I don't require writing from him, he sometimes wants to join big brothers during writing time. He used to copy things down the way we wrote them (signing his names to cards earlier in the year) and now everything he copies down is completely reversed. He has his name memorized so we don't write that for him but he writes it all backwards. Is this something to be worried about? I tell him it's good writing but it's backwards.
My oldest is 9 and has hated math for as long as he has done it, several different math programs, and even now we are more relaxed with math (games and verbal) but I am noticing he says or hears the numbers wrong - for example tonight we were doing Advent readings and it was Isaiah 53, he went to Isaiah 35. I'm starting to wonder if this is the reason he hates math, because he reverses numbers. Any ideas?

[StephanieU]

For the 9yo, it could be dyscalculia. Around 3rd grade (so 8-9yo) is when most kids stop reversing things, so that is the time that diagnoses of dyslexia/dyscalculia occur. For the 4yo, it might just be developmental. My daughter's best friend (6.5) writes everything backwards (letters themselves and the order of the letters). Before this school year, she did it on everything. Now, she is getting better at writing "normally." after much prompting from her mom. If you are worried about it with the 9yo, I look into ways to get it tested.

[MelInKansas]

For the 4 year old I would not worry. Just keep reminding and showing. Maybe have him trace more than writing on his own.

For the 9 year old - does he ALWAYS seem to reverse things? Is it only with certain numbers? My DD (will be 9 in January) has a real issue with 3's and 5's. My husband still messes up 7's and 9's sometimes. So she is confused on 30, 50, 13, 15, 35, etc. With her it's just certain ones but I keep working on them with her and reminding her to think about it before she writes it or says the number.

If it's always and with most numbers I would think about having him tested, though I don't know where you would do that. The school district?

[TrueGRIT]

I agree with melinkansas that you should see if your 9 y o does the reversing of numbers on some or all.
I personally do have dyscalculia and I have to take numbers v e r y S l o w l y. But at his age, if it's not most numbers I would just keep working on ways that he could get it.

For a 4 y o I would probably keep going what you are already doing got now.

[mrsrandolph]

This is TOTALLY developmentally appropriate at this age. NO worries!! : )

My 8 year old still confuses numbers!