Reading to your newborns is important to give them a learning boost — especially sick babies and premature babies in neonatal units who need to hear human voices in the early stages of their rapid mental development, say experts at the University of Alabama Medical and Children’s Hospital at Birmingham.
To encourage early reading, Republican U.S. Senator Katie Britt of Alabama attended NICU Bookworm Day 2024 on Monday and read to newborns.
Britt read to babies in the Regional Newborn Intensive Care Unit (RNICU) and Continuing Care Nursery (CCN) at the UAB Women & Infants Center and the NICU at Children’s of Alabama Benjamin Russell Hospital for Children.
“I want every child to have the opportunity to live their American Dream, and early brain development is a key factor in ensuring that because it lays the foundation for a child’s future,” said Senator Britt. “UAB and Children’s Bookworm Day are an important initiative that shows parents the importance of reading to their babies from an early age. I read to my children during their first years of life, and today I was able to read to precious babies receiving life-saving treatment in the neonatal intensive care units at UAB Hospital and Children’s of Alabama. I am grateful to the healthcare professionals who care for these babies every day, not only through medications, but through initiatives like Bookworm Day. I was proud to contribute in a small way to this program, and I hope it shows all parents that they can and should incorporate reading to their babies and children into their daily routines.”
UAB and Children’s of Alabama launched the NICU Bookworms reading program in 2021 to reduce developmental delays in sick and premature babies and strengthen the bond between parent and child. Last year, the program expanded to include a new book vending machine where parents can use coupons to purchase books to read to their babies. Parents earn coupons through parent-child activities and educational programs.
“Numerous studies show that early literacy skills are critical to a child’s development and are a strong predictor of success in life. However, many parents are unaware of the benefits of early reading. The NICU Bookworms program at UAB and Children’s of Alabama aims to strengthen the bond between parent and baby, increase exposure to words through books and highlight the importance of early reading. We are pleased to have Senator Britt visit to highlight our efforts to invest in this initiative for our patients and families,” said Viral Jain, MD, assistant professor in the Division of Neonatology at UAB and Children’s of Alabama.
