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Expert Q&A:
When should I start reading to my baby?

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Suzanne Dixon
Answered by Suzanne Dixon M.D., M.P.H.
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"There is nothing so amazing as the development of a child," says Suzanne Dixon, M.D., a behavioral and developmental pediatrician who was one of the founding members of the Pampers Parenting Network. "Every day is a new adventure when you have a child around you. I never get tired of learning from the children who have been a part of my life, professionally and personally."Suzanne Dixon, M.D., M.P.H., was born and raised in Minnesota and graduated from the University of Minnesota, School of Medicine. She did her pediatric training at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and then completed a fellowship in Child Development at Boston's Children's Hospital. Dr. Dixon joined the faculty at the University of California, San Diego, and did patient care, teaching, and research for 20 years. She ran a large newborn service, performed research in early child development, and was involved in many community outreach activities in maternal child health. Throughout her entire professional life she has maintained an interest in cross-cultural activities, living and working in many parts of the world, including Mexico, India, Kenya, Indonesia, and several countries from the former U.S.S.R. Dr. Dixon is the author of numerous research articles, review articles, and textbook chapters in pediatrics, child and family development, and public health. Her textbook, written with Dr. Martin Stein, Encounters With Children: Pediatric Behavior and Development, has become a classic in child health education and is in its fourth edition. She is Editor in Chief of the Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, an international journal of high standing in the professional world. She also has served as an associate editor for Infant Mental Health and currently reviews for several major pediatric journals. Dr. Dixon is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and served in national positions in that organization. She is a member of the Society for Pediatric Research, the Society for Research in Child Development, the American Public Health Association, and the Executive Council of the Society for Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. She serves as consultant to several national and international organizations and has received an award from Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies.Dr. Dixon continues to lecture and consult worldwide on aspects of maternal, child, and family health. She practices behavioral and developmental pediatrics in Montana and works with local advocacy groups on education and women''s health. Dr. Dixon has been married for over 30 years and has three sons. She and her husband travel frequently, are outdoor enthusiasts, and enjoy being amateur anthropologists.
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Question


My in-laws are on me about reading to my son. This started when he was 2 weeks old. He is now 6 1/2 weeks and I'm still getting asked this question at least once a week. What is a good time to start reading? I am singing, talking, playing, etc.

Answer


It is great that your son's grandparents are behind the reading effort. Everything we know supports the idea that early introduction of reading makes a big difference to kids. However, it sounds as if their eagerness has put too much stress on you and is developmentally misguided. Tell them that you are getting him to read through all your singing, talking, and bringing him with you on your daily tasks. These are the reading readiness tasks that are just right for his age. The best known early reading program that shows a positive impact is the Reach Out and Read program from Boston City Hospital. In that program, reading to kids starts at 6 months with looking at picture books. In the meantime, ask your in-laws to a) be reading volunteers at the local library, b) start collecting the books your husband read as a boy so they will be ready for your son when he is ready, c) start a library for their grandson, reviewing what are the best and most enduring books, and d) collect old children's books or buy new ones for a homeless shelter or the local WIC program (which helps families who don't have the means or the focus to work on this part of their children's lives). These tasks should keep them busy with no time to bug you as you enjoy your son.
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