CHOP’s Reach Out and Read Program Featured in The Philadelphia Citizen

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Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) pediatricians Drs. Trude Haecker and Danielle Erkoboni were recently featured in Philadelphia Eagles Center Jason Kelce’s series called “Jason Kelce’s Eagles Education Season.” Each week of the football season, Kelce compares Philly schools to those of their on-field competitors of the week, and celebrates a local education innovation. This week, he highlights CHOP’s Reach Out and Read program and looks at Seattle’s schools.

CHOP’s Reach Out and Read program started in 1996 and is implemented in 27 CHOP Care Network sites. During the visit, pediatricians and nurse practitioners encourage parents to read aloud to their children, offer age-appropriate tips and give young children (6 months through 5 years of age) a brand-new, age-appropriate book at each well visit, with special emphasis on children growing up in low-income communities.

Families served by the program read together more often, and their children enter kindergarten with larger vocabularies and stronger language skills, better prepared to achieve to their potential. This fiscal year, the pediatricians, residents and nurse practitioners at CHOP's Reach Out and Read sites will need to give at least 80,000 brand-new, age-appropriate books to 45,000 children ages 6 months through 5 years during well visits, and advise parents about the importance of reading aloud and language development.

Read more about CHOP’s Reach Out and Read program in this Philadelphia Citizen article.