Make Reading A Habit For Your Child’s Health And Development

Keeping reading time accessible and engaging for your child can benefit them throughout their childhood and later in life. Getting their reading routine started on the right foot requires some planning ahead of time. See how early you can start building your child's literacy and how resources like the Reach Out and Read Program can help.

The Benefits Of Early Literacy For Children

Many are quick to recognize the benefits of early reading for children, but just how early can parents start? New parents may be surprised at just how far ahead they can get started.

"Parents can start reading to their children while they're still in the womb and then continue that throughout early childhood into their school year," said Daina Roberson, MD, pediatrics and internal medicine physician at Franciscan Physician Network Dyer. "Around 15 weeks, babies can hear mom's voice internally. And around 25 weeks, they're able to hear sounds outside of the womb. So, it's a great time to start reading to your kids and so many benefits."

Dr. Roberson explained that there can be several benefits to reading to your child during pregnancy or early infancy, including:

• Bonding
• Increased brain activity
• Language development
• Stress relief

"There's some research that shows that third-trimester babies will pick up on language patterns that they heard in the womb later on," Dr. Roberson said. "We definitely want you to start reading as early as you think about it. It's a great way to connect with your baby as well as promote those early literacy skills."

She explained that building a habit of reading lays the groundwork for school readiness and long-term benefits throughout life. It can also help the rest of the participating family develop a love for reading and family bonding time, which is essential to any child's emotional development.

How You Can Start Building A Reading Habit At Home

Building vocabulary stems from very early and frequent interactions with parents.

"To develop language with infants and toddlers, it is crucial to have parental interaction," said Franciscan Health speech therapist Christina Iwachiw. "Basic activities that a parent can do are playing with the child on the floor, reading simple books to the child, talking to the child with simple phrases, and staying away from technology! Parents are the model for language; it doesn't just happen."

It takes only simple things to engage a baby, such as talking and reading to them. In fact, it's hard to overstress the importance of reading to babies. A separate study done at the University of Iowa found that babies respond more to reading than to even toy- or puppet-play and, in turn, learn more from it.

A very young baby may only babble in response to hearing your voice as you read. Still, when you respond by repeating or expanding on their sound or offering a word with that sound, this back-and-forth interaction helps with language development.

Another important difference maker for a child's early development is reading books with bright pictures and simple sentences, rather than single words. Be engaged as you read so that the baby develops not only a great vocabulary but also a love for books that will serve them well throughout life.

The Reach Out And Read Program

Building a healthy reading habit doesn't revolve only around time at home. It should also include public spaces, such as libraries or even a doctor's office.

"I'm really excited about Reach Out and Read," Dr. Roberson said. "We were recently approved for our clinic to be one of the Reach Out and Read sites. Pediatricians and other primary care physicians in our clinic are trained to give literacy guidance to parents and caregivers from infancy up through about five years old at the well-child visits."

Dr. Roberson explained that her team focuses on several areas for children, such as:

• Early language exposure
• Naming pictures
• Rhyming words for phonemic awareness
• Promoting early literacy

"At every visit, we introduce a new developmentally appropriate book," Dr. Roberson said. "We hope to build the kid's library by the time they get to kindergarten. This way, they're already exposed to books, have a love for reading and that will continue to build their library at home. So when they get to school, they're already ahead of the game."

Creating A Reading Space For The Kids

Like a library or a quiet room, a reading space is essential for kids, and Dr. Roberson's team, with the Reach Out and Read program, has that space in mind.

"There'll be some reading space in our lobby," Dr. Roberson said. "Kids can certainly look at books and read through them while they're waiting to be called back into the exam rooms in the back."

She explained that they have a small library with shelves where kids can come and select a book during their wait.

"I think it's going to really be great and we're just going to try to make it super kid and family-friendly so that kids can develop that love for reading every time they come in," she said.

'Components Of Success In Any Area Of Life'

While reading is crucial as a part of any child's development, the benefits can go well beyond their childhood.

"I think early literacy and lifelong learning are vital components of success in any area of life, no matter what the kids decide to do or even families," Dr. Roberson said. "It really is a privilege to be a pediatrician and internal medicine doctor that cares for kids and their families from birth all the way throughout their lives."

The Reach Out and Read program helps to cultivate that love for reading across generations, she added.

"I'm not only seeing a baby during appointments," Dr. Roberson said. "I also could be seeing their older siblings, parents and even grandparents. We encourage them to have this family bonding time and develop this love for reading and family wellness. And I think that results in improved mental, emotional and physical health for everyone."