Children's Health Topics

Literacy

Children’s early experiences with books and reading can help improve school readiness and set them up for success later in life. Exposing babies to books and reading increases vocabulary, makes it easier for them to learn to read later on, and it offers opportunities for positive interactions with the adults in their lives. Early exposure to language—whether through books, words, or songs—can help prevent problems and promote health.

Read, Speak, Sing is a Canadian Paediatric Society program that helps paediatricians and other child health professionals encourage parents to read to babies from birth. Health professionals and parents can access a number of tools and resources to help make reading part of everyday life.  

Resources for health care professionals

• Visit our bookstore for tools you can use in the practice setting, including a poster, tear-off pads, and more.
• Read, Speak, Sing: Promoting literacy in the physician's office is a position statement that offers suggestions for incorporating literacy education in clinical settings.
• The November 2006 issue of Paediatrics & Child Health is devoted to early literacy.
• Literacy Resources for Physicians: A list of national, provincial and territorial resources for physicians interested in promoting literacy in their practices and communities.

Patient education: Resources for parents and caregivers

• Reading to Your Baby: How parents can promote literacy from birth is a bilingual brochure with information for parents on the benefits of reading and other communication. It’s also available on the Caring for Kids website. 
• Age-appropriate books lists (for children 1 through 6 years) and a list of multicultural books for children have been compiled by the Ottawa Public Library.

External links 

• Reach Out and Read: A U.S. program that promotes early literacy by giving new books to children and advice to parents about the importance of reading aloud.
• The Early Years Study: Reversing the Real Brain Drain (McCain and Mustard, 1999): The seminal report that described the critical importance of children's early interactions in shaping their development.
• Lire/Imagine/Read: Literacy promotion project at the Montreal Children’s Hospital
• Early Childhood Literacy Programs in Canada: A National Survey
• Canadian Literacy and Learning Network

Last updated: May 2011