April 24, 2012 By TMC for Children

His diaper is clean, his belly full, and he just woke from a nap, but boy, is he cranky.

Baby’s daddy sits down with baby snuggled into the crook of one arm and a book in the other hand. In seconds that tearful baby is smiling again.  He doesn’t understand the words yet, but he is comforted by cuddling with his father, lulled by the rhythmic language of the book and entertained by the colorful pictures.

“Reading is the great antidote.” states Will Creamer, Reach Out and Read of Southern Arizona‘s Director. Creamer expands on that statement, “If your baby is fussy, read to them; if they have a hard time settling down, read to them; if you’re not feeling connected with your kids, read with them and when they are misbehaving, read with them.” Reading to children from birth helps language development, speaking and listening skills. Reading stimulates their imagination, expands their understanding of the world around them and their attention spans. Beyond all the intellectual benefits, reading also can act as a comfort, as a time for parent and child to bond.

The Reach Out and Read program draws upon the relationship between new parents and their pediatrician to encourage parents to start reading aloud with infants.

Dr. Mary Cochran, pediatrician and Vice Chair for Literacy Connects, describes reading aloud as a simple thing, but like family dinners something that it makes a huge difference in the long run. Her belief is reflected in research demonstrating a strong relationship between literacy and health. ”Groups with the highest prevalence of chronic disease and the greatest need for health care had the least ability to read and comprehend information needed to function as patients”, states the Report on the Council of Scientific Affairs, Ad Hoc Committee on Health Literacy for the Council on Scientific Affairs, American Medical Association (JAMA, Feb 10, 1999).

For some, reading aloud comes easily. Other parents and caregivers may feel less confident about reading aloud. Our tips for all with young babies:

1. Choose books that you both enjoy. Your enthusiasm will show through. Your local public librarian or local children’s bookstore can provide excellent, age-appropriate books.
2. Keep distractions to a minimum, make sure that the television and the radio are off
3. Not confident reading aloud? Storytime at your local library and audiobooks provides an opportunity to listen to others read aloud and for you to pick up some techniques for reading aloud. Storytime and audiobooks are not a substitute for you holding your child and reading to them everyday, but a useful addition.
   – Take a longer pause at a period than you would if you were reading.
   -Respond to your baby’s babble
   – Stop to point at the pictures and talk a little about them
   – Exaggerate your facial expressions when reading. Let your baby see your animated face and don’t be afraid to use silly voices.
   -Incorporate actions, ex. tickling or kissing belly buttons as in the below examples are a fabulous .
   – You don’t have to read the book without interruption. Allow your child to touch the book and turn the pages (cardboard books are particularly useful for this). Be ready to read and reread the same book – it’s great for your child’s language development.
4. For babies pick clear, brightly colored pictures, simple words and stories, stories with rhythm and rhyme, predictable plots, and stories with repetition.
5. Don’t let bullet number four constrain you. If a picture book has great rhyme and rhythm, but more complex pictures and your four year old loves it too, gather both children on your lap and read to both of them. It doesn’t have to  be Pat the Bunny or Goodnight Moon all the time. The baby in the anecdote at the beginning loves nothing more than listening with his sister to Tickle Monster by Josie Bissett or More More More said the Baby by Vera Williams.

When should start reading to your baby? Start now – start that first day with your babe in your arms. It is never too early to start to read to your baby. ”Children are made readers on the laps of their parents.” — Emilie Buchwald