Photo Credit: Antonio_Diaz

An updated American Academy of Pediatrics statement on literacy promotion in clinical visits emphasizes shared reading, reduced screen time, and diversity.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that pediatricians encourage parents and caregivers to read aloud with their children beginning at birth, according to an updated policy statement on literacy promotion. The policy statement, published in Pediatrics, marks the first update in AAP recommendations since 2014.

“All families need to hear the important message that reading aloud to their children is crucial, starting at birth, especially in an era in which competing entertainment imperatives, such as screen time, may limit family interactions and everyday conversations for even very young children,” Perri Klass, MD, and colleagues wrote.

The AAP recommends that pediatricians:

• Encourage shared reading beginning in infancy and continuing at least through kindergarten, including in the neonatal ICU, when possible.
• Develop skills to discuss strategies for mutually joyful and developmentally appropriate reading activities with parents that encourage meaningful, language-rich engagement with books, pictures, and the written word, as well as modeling techniques to prompt reciprocal, responsive, positive experiences.
• Provide high-quality, developmentally, linguistically appropriate, and culturally diverse books at health supervision visits for all young children, prioritizing low-income families who otherwise would not have access to them.
• Support the existing AAP recommendation of limited screen time in early childhood, emphasizing print books for young children “because digital books do not foster equivalent parent-child interactions.”
• Identify parents and caregivers with low literacy skills and tailor guidance in these situations to emphasize “language-rich interactive activities that do not require reading print but may include conversations about colors, numbers, shapes, characters, or actions depicted” and support parents wanting to improve their literacy.
• Reinforce messaging with posters and parent information materials regarding interactive reading, public libraries, and book distribution programs.
• Emphasize the value of books representing diverse cultures, characters, and themes.
• Integrate guidance and encouragement about reading aloud, even during visits when books are unavailable or during virtual appointments.
• Partner with other child advocates on national messaging and policies that support shared reading beginning in infancy, emphasizing that shared reading benefits school readiness and cognitive and social-emotional development.

The policy statement also provides recommendations for policymakers to support early literacy promotion as a critical component of pediatric primary care by funding children’s books, pediatrician time, and support for intervention at pediatric health supervision visits for all children.