Month: April 2022

School will be out for most kids soon! For pediatric offices, this means the beginning of school and sports physical season: preschool and kindergarten physicals for our littles and sports participation physicals for rising high schoolers. We give out LOTS of books and literacy advice during summer months especially to our 3, 4 and 5 year olds. It’s an exhausting, exciting time for many of the providers who participate with Reach Out and Read Kansas City! For our providers, there is nothing better than seeing a 4-year-old-patient hugging their new Kindergarten Bag—full of books and advice for parents regarding kindergarten readiness. And remember, data shows that children who have participated in Reach Out and Read are better prepared than their peers for kindergarten.

Summer is the time when we see more accidents, sunburns, poison ivy rashes and “malignant” mosquito bites! So, keep yourselves and your kids safe: sunscreen, bug repellant with DEET or permethrin (Skin-so-soft does NOT work!), appropriate life jackets during swimming/water sport participation, and of course helmets for trike/bike/skateboard riders.

AND most importantly, remember that all of our community public libraries have special summer programs for kids of all ages! Book reading challenges, in-library special events and more. For more information, visit:

Kansas City Public Library         

www.kclibrary.org

Kansas City Kansas Public Library    

www.kckpl.org

Mid-Continent Public Library         

www.mymcpl.org (Clay, Platte and Jackson Counties)

Johnson County Library

www.jocolibrary.org

Leavenworth Public Library

www.leavenworthpubliclibrary.org

As I do every month, a heartfelt thanks to our donors who make so many joyful moments happen for children, their families and our pediatric providers throughout the KC Metro area!  We couldn’t do this work without each one of you.

Families that spend time reading aloud together build strong emotional bonds and relieve the stresses of everyday life by seeking refuge in a children’s book. Building these bonds is even more important for families that are displaced. At the Yale University School of Medicine Pediatric Refugee Clinic, located in New Haven, CT and led by Medical Director Dr. Camille Brown, hundreds of children of Afghan refugee families are being welcomed and cared for by the dedicated practitioners at the clinic. And because of Reach Out and Read, these families are encouraged to read aloud together during this stressful period in their lives.

More than 800 families that fled Afghanistan last fall have made Kansas City their new home. Reach Out and Read Kansas City has had the privilege to serve several families in some of our clinics in the Kansas City metro area. We have even been able to provide books in their native language to help with the difficult transition.

“These families endure decades of war in their homeland and are relocating to a new country with the added challenges of the COVID pandemic. We know that these layers of adversity can negatively impact the well-being of children and their families,” said Dr. Brown on the unique opportunity to connect with refugee families. “As a long-time Reach Out and Read clinic, we know that this evidence-based program is the best way for us to empower these families as their child’s first and best teachers to optimize child development and early relational health.” 

“Most Afghan families would only visit the doctor when ill, so the new US system of preventive medical care is met with appreciation and openness,” remarked Dr. Julia Rosenberg.  “To us, this indicated a willingness for family involvement, and the enthusiasm for preventative care makes Reach Out and Read a great fit. In addition, giving a family a book in their native language positively supports their language development, including their ability to learn English in school.” 

Integrating diverse books within a clinic setting aids in creating an environment that is welcoming and respectful of people from all backgrounds. Diverse and culturally responsive books have stories, images, and characters that accurately reflect and affirm a range of identities. These books provide children with mirrors of their own lives and experiences, as well as windows into the lives and experiences of other people. For the Afghan families arriving in a new country, books in their native languages of Pashto or Dari will help them feel welcome in the clinic and the community. The clinic is actively adding these and other representative books to give to the families.