Do you read aloud to your kids? This simple yet meaningful bonding experience between parents and caregivers can have lasting benefits. A recent recommendation from the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) emphasizes that reading together not only strengthens familial connections but also boosts brain development in young minds.

The latest updated policy statement from the AAP suggests "literacy promotion as a universal primary prevention strategy to strengthen families and support healthy development."

The policy statement published in Pediatrics recommends that parents and caregivers read with their children from birth, continuing at least through kindergarten, including in the NICU. This practice supports language, cognitive, and social-emotional development in early childhood. The evidence shows it improves school readiness and helps with early brain development. Reading with kids also helps with positive childhood experiences that enhance early relational health.

"Reading together with young children weaves joyful language and rich interactive moments into the fabric of daily life. As a pediatrician and parent, I suggest making books your bedtime routine, using them to connect and wind down after a busy day, and generally building them into life with a young child. It will strengthen the bonds that hold you together, and build your child's developing brain," said Dr. Perri Klass, the lead author of the policy statement.

"Research tells us that reading proficiency by third grade is a significant predictor of high school graduation and career success. Children who first encounter books in the arms of their parents, when they are very young, arrive at school associating books and reading with lap-time, a sense of security, interactions, stories, rhymes, and entertainment, and above all with the beloved voices of the adults with whom they have those all-important early relationships."

Experts particularly stress the importance of reading books, especially as children are increasingly exposed to screen time and electronic devices become more popular in their daily lives. According to pediatric experts, digital books do not encourage the same level of parent-child interaction as traditional books. If screen-based reading or audiobooks are used, parents should engage in reciprocal interactions with their children during these activities to strengthen relational bonds and enhance learning.

"Turning the pages of a high-quality, print book filled with colorful pictures and rich, expressive language is best. While touchscreens and other electronic devices may be popular, they are typically passive or solitary experiences for children and do not offer the same benefits of interactivity and relationship-building," said Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, a co-author of the technical report and chair of the Council on Early Childhood.

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