CHoR NICU encourages reading to tiniest patients

It’s never too early to start reading! Our team even encourages reading to our smallest, youngest patients in our neonatal intensive care unit.

“Reading to babies in the NICU is a powerful way to support their development and strengthen the bond between parents and their child. It helps with stress reduction in baby and mom, normalizes the NICU environment as well as benefits brain stimulation to help babies develop cognitive and language skills," said Dr. Karen Hendricks-Muñoz, chief of neonatal medicine.

Why reading to infants is important

Sure, tiny babies may not know what the words mean, but reading to children from their earliest days can have a profoundly positive impact.

Reading to NICU babies in particular:

• Helps mitigate the inherent risks of sensory deprivation and auditory delays by providing positive auditory input
• Addresses health disparities for at-risk children
• Provides comfort to infants in the hospital
• Reduces mood disorders and parent stress in the period after birth
• Incorporates reading into family routines early on
• Offers a way for parents to connect with their newest family members

"Encouraging families to read and providing access to books is one way CHoR provides family-centered care and promotes health equity," said Dr. Allison Williams, NICU psychologist.

This encouragement continues beyond the NICU too. Children who are read five books per day before kindergarten will hear 1.4 million more words than those never read to, often referred to as the "million-word gap.”

Participating in the Babies with Books program at CHoR

Our NICU has turned the fun of reading into a little friendly competition this week. Participating in the national “Babies with Books Read-a-Thon,” families and team members in the NICU are encouraged to read to babies as often as possible from September 9-19. They’re provided with stacks of donated children’s books, flyers with information on the program, education on developmental benefits of reading in the NICU and a book of raffle tickets. Parents complete a ticket for each session of reading. At the end of the week, one lucky parent will win a prize donated by RMHC Richmond.

“Parents get really into the reading and competition element. This event is a fun way to get families to incorporate reading into their daily routines and to highlight all the developmental benefits of books," said Cassi Gill, LCSW, NICU social worker.

We’ll also submit our NICU’s total number of books read to the overall Babies with Books competition among NICUs across the world, in hopes of earning bragging rights for the most books read. Last year, 154 NICUs participated, amassing a total of 31,879 reading sessions.

“This event is a favorite for staff and families alike. We all love to grab a book and read to CHoR’s tiniest patients,” added Dr. Williams. “Reading may seem like a small thing, but it can make a big difference in these at-risk babies' long-term development, as well as their socioemotional learning and attachment to their parents.”

Read all about the nationally ranked care offered in our CHoR NICU.