Charlottesville pediatricians offering books to patients

CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (WVIR) - Pediatric Associates of Charlottesville has teamed up with Reach Out and Read to bring books into examination rooms.

“All of the children that go to the Pediatric Associates of Charlottesville received the Reach Out and Read support as a part of their regular visits from birth to 5 years old,” Reach out & Read Regional Director Callee Boulware said.

Boulware says the program is pretty straightforward: “The medical provider walks into the exam room with a book in their hands,” she said.

As an example, she says the patient might be 6 moths old: “That baby, she’s going to put it in her mouth and start chewing on it,” Boulware said. “Start a conversation with the parents there and say, ‘Look at her. She’s so smart. That is exactly what a 6 month old does,’ and engage the families in a conversation around age-appropriate behavior.”

The child gets to take the book home at the end of each visit.

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