The Huffington Post – Lisa Capretto
“Reading to your infant or young child is a beautiful bonding experience, but there’s far more happening in these literary moments beyond a parent and kid spending time together. In fact, explains pediatrician Jill Alexander, reading (or not reading) to children in the home can shape their entire academic future ― even if the little one is years away from going to school. Speaking about the vital importance of reading on the monthly series “The Hero Effect,” Alexander emphasizes why reading to babies and children who are so young can have such a long-term impact. “We know that 90 percent of brain development happens before a child is 5,” she says. “If we wait until kids are in school, it’s too late.” Children who are not read to in the home can suffer greatly once they enter school.”(more)