Shared Reading Practices and Early Literacy Promotion in the First Year of Life.

Limited research exists on family reading practices, the impact of counseling, and book distribution in the first 6 months of life, despite recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and Reach Out and Read promoting shared reading from birth. OBJECTIVE: To describe infant home reading trajectories and environments in the first year and to assess whether receiving books starting in the newborn period, compared with starting at 6 months, alters these trajectories. METHODS: Two study groups were enrolled in a quasi-experimental sequential cohort study; both groups received shared reading counseling starting in the newborn period and completed surveys throughout the first year. The Standard group received books starting at 6 months, whereas the Early Books group received books starting at 2 weeks. Reading trajectories were assessed both overall and between the study groups. RESULTS: At the 2-week visit, less than half of families in each group had started shared reading with their infant, which rose to >97% by 12 months. Approximately two-thirds of families owned >10 children's books at 2 weeks, which increased to >80% at 12 months. Incorporating shared reading into bedtime routines also increased during the first year. Early versus standard book distribution did not alter these trajectories. CONCLUSION: Over the first year of life, families almost universally initiated shared reading and increased the number of books in the home. Reading habits established during this time were maintained in both groups. Literacy promotion beginning at the earliest well-child visits may help establish routines that will persist throughout childhood.

Home Literacy Environment and Shared Reading in the Newborn Period.

: In 2014, the American Academy of Pediatrics and Reach Out and Read formally emphasized counseling families on shared reading starting at birth. However, little data exist on the home reading practices and environments of newborn infants. OBJECTIVE: To characterize the home reading practices and environments of 2-week-old infants. METHODS: We distributed writtens self-administered surveys to 223 families seen for 2-week well-child visits. The survey assessed the frequency of shared reading, "favorite activities" with infants (including shared reading), number of books in the home, and sources of reading information. Descriptive and multivariate statistics were computed to assess the frequency of primary outcomes and sociodemographic associations. RESULTS: At the 2-week well-child visit, 57.7% of families had not yet started reading with their infants. A minority of families (29.1%) reported shared reading as a favorite activity. Thirty-five percent of families reported having ≤10 books in the home. Non-white race and having lived outside the United States were significantly associated with having ≤10 books in the home. Parents who reported not always enjoying reading were less likely to have started reading to their infant. CONCLUSION: Differences in both book ownership and having initiated shared reading are present from the newborn period. Findings suggest an opportunity for the provision of children's books in early infancy through primary care, particularly for immigrant and minority families. Engaging parents to incorporate language-rich activities, including shared reading, with their infants may be especially important for those who have a history of not being read to or who do not report enjoying reading.

Physician attitudes regarding school-located vaccination clinics.

BACKGROUND: School-located vaccination clinics offer an opportunity to target children for vaccination programs during communicable disease outbreaks. However, children in the United States are primarily vaccinated in the pediatrician's or family physician's office, and the concept of school-located vaccinations may be unfamiliar to some parents and guardians. Physician support could contribute to effective implementation of school-located vaccination clinics during outbreak situations. The primary objective of the study was to assess physician opinion of using school-located vaccination clinics to administer both outbreak-specific and routine vaccines. METHODS: A statewide mail and Internet survey was administered to 275 pediatricians and 275 family physicians in Oregon during July and August 2010. RESULTS: Ninety-one percent of physicians supported the use of school-located vaccination clinics as immunization delivery sites during outbreak situations. Sixty percent of physicians supported using school-located vaccination clinics to administer routine vaccinations. Only 57% of physicians had knowledge of school-located vaccination clinic availability to their patients. CONCLUSIONS: Pediatricians and family physicians expressed strong support of school vaccination clinics as sites for immunization delivery during outbreak situations but significantly less support for administering routine vaccinations. Increasing physician awareness of school-located vaccination clinic availability and establishing partnerships between physician practices and school vaccination clinics may improve access to immunizations for school-aged children and adolescents, particularly during large-scale communicable disease outbreaks.