This may not be one of the questions you expect to hear from a pediatrician during a well-child visit, but it’s always on the checklist for Vanessa Charette, M.D., a Cook Children’s pediatrician in Fort Worth.

Dr. Charette asks this question for a few reasons. For one, she’s genuinely interested and she’s even gotten some great recommendations of books to read to her children.

“I also ask because I want your child to know that adults around them think reading is important and I am hoping this small question may help them grow up with a love for reading,” Dr. Charette said.

It’s never too early to begin reading to your child.

Ear and brain structures for listening begin working between 25-39 weeks of gestation. At about 28-30 weeks, connections between the brain and the ear start happening.

“For the auditory brain to develop, babies need to listen to language, music and all different kind of sounds,” wrote Becky Clem, an education coordinator for Rehab Services and a speech-language pathologist and listening-spoken language specialist. “Reading aloud is a great way to help children learn to listen and talk. Reading aloud to that growing baby in utero is a jump start to listening, talking and future reading. Reading aloud to children of all ages has huge benefits.”

Clem said the first three years of a child’s life is the most important time for learning. Reading aloud to children boosts their vocabulary, listening and talking skills.

Research on reading aloud to children tells us that it:

• Is the single most important thing to help a child get ready to read and learn.
• Helps a child learn more, unique words. Children who know more words do better when starting kindergarten.
• Helps a child’s brain develop. Language development is vitally important from birth to 3 years.
• Helps a child love to read.
• Helps a child learn.
• Helps parents bond with their child.
• Sets an example for children that reading is important and fun.

Of course, your toddler won’t sit still, but Dr. Charette says parents shouldn’t worry about reading the entire story to them. “Look at the pictures, point things out on the pages, have them find things on the pages,” She said. “The Richard Scarry books are great for this and we read them over and over when my kids were this age.”

For the school-age child that maybe doesn't love reading yet: Dr. Charette suggests getting them books on topics they love. Does your child love Legos? Then Lego® books it is. Do they love animals? Then try National Geographic kids’ animal fact books. They have lots of pictures and fun, short reading sections. Is your kid funny? Then try a joke book. But Dr. Charette warns as only a mom can: "This leads to the most ridiculous knock-knock jokes being read aloud to you.”

“For your older school-age or teen child: Be a two-person book club,” Dr. Charette added. “I have done this a few times as my children became older and they loved it when I read a book at the same time they were reading it. It allows them to talk to me about the story. They were so excited to share with another person what is happening with the characters and what may happen next.”

Clem understands that families lead busy lives in today’s world, but she offers these tips for reading aloud into your day and week:

Some ideas for fitting reading aloud into your day and week:

• Visit your local library. Get a free library card for you and your child. Check out books weekly. It’s FREE!
• Visit read aloud storytime at the library.
• Read aloud at breakfast time.
• Keep books in the car to read while waiting at appointments.
• Make bedtime book reading a family tradition.
• Have a family storytime every week.
• Keep waterproof books in the bathtub for a quick read during bath time.
• Read together as a family every day.
• Have older siblings read aloud to younger siblings.

For more on this topic, read Becky Clem's blog, "Raising Bookworms."

A great way to help children learn to listen and talk is reading aloud. Reading aloud to that growing baby in utero is a jump start to listening, talking and future reading. Reading aloud to children of all ages has huge benefits.

Research on reading aloud to children tells us that it:

• Is the single most important thing to help a child get ready to read and learn.
• Helps a child learn more, unique words. Children who know more words do better when starting kindergarten.
• Helps a child’s brain develop. Language development is vitally important from birth to 3 years.
• Helps a child love to read.
• Helps a child learn.
• Helps parents bond with their child.
• Sets an example for children that reading is important and fun.

The first three years of a child’s life is the most important time for learning. Reading aloud to children boosts their vocabulary, listening and talking skills.

Will watching TV help my child learn?

A parent may ask, “My child loves to watch TV for several hours a day! What is wrong with that?” Watching a little bit of TV isn’t a bad thing. It’s what a child misses by watching many hours of TV. It can cause problems. Children may miss playing games, drawing, hobbies, playing outside and talking with friends or family. Those activities help children learn about getting along with others, problem solving and having fun. Playing and having fun are main ways that young children learn.

Watching TV doesn’t require any interaction with others. It is passive, not active. The American Academy of Pediatrics says no more than 10 hours a week of TV, and no TV for children less than 2 years. This is based on research. When children watch more than 10 hours a week of TV, school scores start dropping.

How long should read aloud time be?

Families lead very busy lives in today’s world. It’s very easy to hand over smart phones or tablets to children for easy, engaging, digital entertainment. Children may learn to swipe screens before learning to turn a page. Reading becomes less important. There is not a set amount of time to read aloud to children. Even 15 minutes a day can make a big difference. Here’s a great example of how reading aloud can affect a child during the first 5 years:

15 minutes every day x 365 days x 5 years = 27,375 minutes OR 456.25 hours of reading aloud. That means the child hears reading aloud 456 hours before starting kindergarten. That’s a great jump-start to being a good reader.

Some ideas for fitting reading aloud into your day and week:

• Visit your local library. Get a free library card for you and your child. Check out books weekly. It’s FREE!
• Visit read aloud story time at the library.
• Read aloud at breakfast time.
• Keep books in the car to read while waiting at appointments.
• Make bedtime book reading a family tradition.
• Have a family story time every week.
• Keep waterproof books in the bath tub for a quick read during bath time.
• Read together as a family every day.
• Have older siblings read aloud to younger siblings.

Reading aloud should be FUN and FREQUENT! It is never too early or too late to start reading aloud to your child.

Resources:

1.Jim Trelease on Reading: www.trelease-on-reading.com

2.Read Aloud 15 Minutes: www.readaloud.org

3.Reach Out and Read: http://reachoutandread.org

4.Reading Rockets: www.readingrockets.org 

References:

1.Anderson, Richard C., http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED253865.pdf

2.http://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Pages/Media-and-Children.aspx.

3.www.trelease-on-reading.com/rah-ch9.html

4.http://www.wonderbabiesco.org/UserFiles/File/Graven%20and%20Browne%20Auditory%2008.pdf

About the author

Becky Clem, MA, CCC-SLP, LSLS Cert. AVT, is a Rehab Services education coordinator at Cook Children's. Cook Children's offers four types of therapy plans, and tailor them for your child's individual needs. Cook Children's services and specializations include:

• Audiology
• Cochlear implant
• Occupational therapy
• Physical therapy
• Speech therapy
• Transitional care
• SPORTS

The Very Hungry Caterpillar must have turned into a “bootiful butterfy” 10,000 times in my house.

"On Saturday he ate through one piece of chocolate cake, one ice-cream cone, one pickle, one slice of Swiss cheese, one slice of salami..."

When my oldest child was 2, he could recite this line in his sleep, with one eye closed and one arm tied behind his back (not that any of that matters, but he could have).

A cool study done by Dr. Jessica Horst at the University of Sussex shows that reading the same books over and over (and over and over) can help to stimulate your child's language development. The study looked at reading children books with new words. One group heard the same book every time while the other group heard different stories. Children in the "same story" group learned the words better and retained them longer than those who heard the words from different books, showing that it can be beneficial to read the same stories repetitively.

Because we are a "nerdy" family and both my wife and I love to read, our kids get lots of books for presents. I sometimes feel guilty when I see the pile of books that we have read a few times while my kids go back to the same three books over and over again. This study is a good reminder that this is OK.

Here are some tips to take away from the study:

1. Read to your child. If you aren't reading to your child daily, this study doesn't really help you much. (Link back to reading article)
2. Don't worry about reading the same books again and again (and again and again), your child’s vocabulary will thank you for it.
3. You don't have to buy every single book in the series for a young child. So, save yourself some money and bookshelf space. As your kids get older, they will appreciate the variety ... for now, most like the routine.

There are some ways you can keep your mind in the game while reading the story for the 1000th time and to maximize your child's learning as well. I'll address those next time, so stay tuned!

If you have been in for a well check this summer, you may have heard me ask your child this question. Why do I ask?  I ask because I am genuinely interested. I have gotten some great recommendations of books for my children to read and books to read aloud as a family from all of you. I also ask because I want your child to know that the adults around them think reading is important and I am hoping that this small question may help them grow in a love of reading. So as we share book titles together this summer, here are some ideas to get and keep your kid reading.

For toddlers that won't sit still: Don't worry about reading the entire story to them. Look at the pictures, point things out on the pages, have them find things on the pages. The Richard Scarry books are great for this and we read them over and over when my kids were this age.

For the school age child that maybe doesn't love reading yet: Get them books on topics they love. Does your boy love Legos? Then Lego® books. Does your girl love animals? Then try National Geographic kids’ animal fact books. They have lots of pictures and fun, short reading sections. Is your kid funny? Then try a joke book – be aware that this leads to the most ridiculous knock-knock jokes being read aloud to you.

For your older school age or teen child: Be a two-person book club. I have done this a few times with my older child and he loves it when I read a book at the same time he is reading it, so he can talk to me about the story. He is so excited to share with another person what is happening with the characters and what may happen next.

For all of your kids: Try reading magazines not just books. Sign your kids up for a reading incentive program. The public library and Braum's both have programs. Do you read on your phone? I do it all the time. Let your kids know that you are reading, not playing the latest version of Angry Birds or Minecraft.

I want your kids to love to read the same as I want my own kids to love to read. So share with me the great books you are reading together. I hope to get out on the patio and read and if I am lucky my boys will be right there next to me doing the same.

Happy summer reading!

Dr C

Vanessa Charette, M.D.