Chicago Parent – Robert Ruderman, M.D.
“Happy, healthy adults often start out as “smart babies.” While many new parents are anxious to raise a “smart baby,” recent findings have revealed concerning trends. Specifically, one in three children start Kindergarten without the language skills they need to learn to read.(1) In addition, two out of three children in the U.S. fail to develop reading proficiency by the end of third grade.(2) As it turns out, there actually are steps to take to reduce or eliminate these problems. There are three critical steps that, when done together, can start your child on the road for a lifetime of cognitive, social and emotional health. They are: 1. Start early 2. Be there 3. Interact using the five R’s”(more)