Early memories usually include a child’s favorite people reading their favorite books. Sadly, this is not the case for many children living in poverty in the United States. Dr. Aften Anderson with Golden Valley Memorial Healthcare is on a mission to start a new chapter for area children by placing books in the hands of those that need them the most.
Dr. Anderson and her team are giving the gift of literacy through the Reach Out and Read program. The program places age-appropriate books in the hands of parents at every well-child checkup. Children receive one book at each appointment through age 5, adding up to 10 books over the course of the program.
These books are important for a number of reasons. According to Reach Out and Read:
more than one in three American children start kindergarten without the skills they need for success at school
story time strengthens the bond between parent and child
reading aloud helps to promote language development and early literacy skills
“The program is really exciting,” Dr. Anderson said. “Sometimes it is the first book a child receives that is ‘theirs’ and not shared with a sibling. It means so much to them. The child often times will immediately look to their parent and want to read with them right in the exam room!”
Dr. Anderson participated in the program during her residency and had a goal to bring it with her to GVMH’s Clinton clinic. The program put 500 books in the hands of local children it its first year. With 450 books given out so far this year already and 10 additional doctors looking to get involved, that number is expected to keep growing.
The books are free to the families, thanks to funding from the Golden Valley Memorial Hospital Foundation. Along with the book suited to each child’s interests and age, parents get advice on what reaction to expect from their baby, such as holding the book, pointing at words or recognizing characters.
When the program takes hold and leaves parents and children wanting more books, Dr. Anderson and her team direct them to the Henry County Library. To learn more about Reach Out and Read, contact Dr. Anderson at (660) 890-8000 or go to http://www.reachoutandread.org/.
Dr. Anderson (right) and members of her Reach Out and Read team display books to be given away through the program. The team expects to give more than 500 books to area children in 2017.
Check out this infographic on the importance of reading to children early.
