Reedsburg Area Medical Center was thrilled to donate funds that were raised through the sale of equipment no longer needed in the facility. These funds we used to purchase books for the Reach Out and Read program, which are distributed to families – free of charge – by providers at the RAMC Physicians Group during patient well-child visits. During well-child visits, RAMC providers talk with parents about the benefits of reading aloud and sharing a love of books with their young children.
Parents are shown how to hold books to best engage their child and how to interact with the text and images to help the child follow along. RAMC providers share advice for talking about stories with infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, and families gain a deeper understanding of why they should make reading a daily habit. Parents are encouraged to cuddle up with their young ones and enjoy an age-appropriate book.
At RAMC, doctors, nurse practitioners, and other medical professionals incorporate Reach Out and Read's evidence-based, three-part model into regular pediatric checkups:
- Trained doctors and nurses speak with parents about the importance of reading aloud, starting in infancy.
- At each regular checkup from six months through five years of age, the child receives a new book to take home, free of charge.
- We also create literacy-rich environments that include gently used books for waiting room use, as well as providing books to siblings.
Research shows that as a result of this three-part intervention at the doctor's office, parents become more engaged and read to their children more often at home. The time spent reading translates into quantifiable gains: research studies show that during the preschool years, children served by Reach Out and Read score three to six months ahead of their non-Reach Out and Read peers on vocabulary tests. These early foundational language skills help propel children on a path of success when they enter school.
Dr. Laukant has been with RAMC since 1999 and has overseen the Reach Out and Read program since 2014 at its inception.