06
|
2016
DECADE EDITION
Thesaying that first impressionsare themost
important remains true inmany facetsof life.
Weall hope tocomeaway fromsituations like
job interviewsor firstdateswithagood first
impression,butwhatabout thedoctor’soffice?
Whenarea residentJacquiMiller tookher
children toAspirusWestonClinic for their routine
doctor’svisit, Jacqui andherkidsgotmoreout
of thevisit than theyexpected. Inaddition to the
regularaspectsof apediatricwell-childvisit, the
Millers’physicianpresented thechildreneach
witha freebookaspartof theReachOutand
ReadprogramAspirushas implementedat its
clinics thatprovidepediatricservices.
ReachOutandRead isanational,
evidence-basedprogram that
recognizes the importanceof
the first fiveyears inearlybrain
developmentand thebenefit
of frequentandearlyexposure
to language.
Itusesbooksas tools to introduceparents to the
importanceof engagingwith, and readingaloud
to theirchildren.
“It’s reallynice tohave thedoctorgive thekids
abookand flip through thepageswith them
and interact,”Miller said. “I’mabigproponent
of reading, and tohave thatencouragedat the
doctor’soffice reallymadeanice impression.”
Funds raisedat lastyear’sgolf classichelped
support theprogram,whichcurrently focuses
onchildrenages6months to5years–acritical
windowof time forbraingrowth thatdoesnot
occuratanyother time inachild’s life.When
childrencome in fora regularwell-childcheck-up
atparticipatingAspirusclinics, theyaregivenan
educational andage-appropriatebookateach
visit, and theirparentsareadvisedabout the
importanceof engagingwithand readingaloud
to theirchildren.
“It’snot justabookgiveaway,becauseyouget to
see the interactionof thekidswith theirparents
and thebooksand reallycansee the impactof
theprogramwhenyouget tosee thekidsover
time,”saidAlexOleinik,D.O., familymedicine
residentatAspirusWausauFamilyMedicine
Clinic. “Readingatanearlyagehelpswith
motorandcognitivedevelopmentandcanbe
particularlybeneficial forchildrenwhereEnglish
maybe their second language.”
For theMillers, readinghasalwaysbeenpartof
thebedtime routine.Miller saysshehasbeenan
avid reader sinceshewasakidandevenseeks
outbooks that she remembers readingwithher
parentswhenshewasakid.
“Ihaveverygoodmemoriesof readingwithmy
parents, andmykids really like itwhen I say ‘I
used to read thiswhen Iwasakid,’”Miller said.
DoctorsPrescribingBooks
tohelpchildrendevelophealthybrains
