Cockerell & McIntosh joins Reach Out and Read!

Cockerell and McIntosh Pediatrics has recently joined Reach Out and Read, a national, non-profit organization, to help promote early literacy and the importance of reading to children by providing free books at their well child exams.

Reading should begin at birth.  The first year of life is crucial for language development.  Research has shown that the single most important activity for building skills needed for school success is reading aloud to children during infancy (the first year of life).  The fact is that during this critical time of brain development, books stimulate language development.

From birth to one year of age, parents should make reading to their baby a daily activity.  Choose board books with pictures of babies and faces.  Books should be brightly colored and have pictures of familiar objects such as balls or bottles.  Babies will grab the books and put them in their mouths, and as they get older hit the pages and get excited with certain pictures.  This is a great opportunity to point to pictures and tell your baby what the objects are, and listen to your baby as they squeal and begin to vocalize early language.  Reading with your baby will allow them to build motor skills, using their hands and fingers.  It will promote bonding with your baby.  It is also an excellent way to help your baby prepare for bed as they calm, relax and have a nightly routine to help their brain know sleep is on the way.  Reading to your baby should be fun.  Children who love books learn to read.

Actively reading to your child is much better than relying on television or DVD's designed for stimulating language.  The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children under age 2 years of age should not watch television.  There is no replacing a parent's voice to stimulate their baby's brain.  As your child grows, so does their reading ability.  Pointing to pictures,  asking them to name things, and having them make up stories will help promote reading.  Grabbing at books shows they are interested, not misbehaving.  They often will want to hear the same story over and over.  Children learn by repetition so although it may be boring to you, to your child it is a great experience.

Remember your favorite book?  Encourage reading and watch your babies brain grow!

                                                                                        submitted by Dr. Cindy Kirby-Diaz

Reach Out and Read facts.....

• ROR serves 3 million children annually
• ROR distributes over 4.9 million books a year
• To date more than 47,000 Pediatricians, nurses, residents and health professionals have been trained in the ROR model of early literacy promotion.
• ROR is endorsed  by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
• There are more than 3,518 ROR programs based on the ROR model at clinis, hospitals and health centers in all 50 states including Guam, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands and the District of Columbia.