Something I LOVE about Doctors Care is the commitment to the whole person; caring for more than just the physical health of the patient. A huge part of a healthy, successful childhood is education. And one of the most important contributing factors to success in school is reading.
Doctors Care partners with Reach Out and Read to improve school readiness and instill a love of books and learning into our children. As a part of the program, a new book is provided to families at each well child visit from 6 months to 5 years. The program also provides education to parents regarding the importance of reading and sharing books with small children.
This emphasis on reading at a very early age improves reading skills during the elementary years and has been well documented in national studies.

• Parents served by Reach Out and Read are up to four times more likely to read aloud to their children.
• Children served by Reach Out and Read show significant developmental gains in language and a six-month developmental edge over their peers in the preschool years.
• Children served by Reach Out and Read score higher on vocabulary tests and school readiness assessments.

Studies have shown that 88% of 1st graders who read below grade level will continue to do so through 4th grade. This statistic demonstrates starkly that early literacy skills promote success in school for years to come, and are essential to a child’s overall wellbeing. Just as Doctor’s Care offers immunizations against infections at well child visits, we are thrilled to also offer tools to prevent illiteracy.

For more info, head to www.reachoutandread.org.

Blog post contributed by Doctors Care PA-C, Kristin Reck