It has been shown, that when parents spend time talking, reading, and singing to young children, it can help the child with early learning and development. It is also a wonderful way to strengthen the parent-child bond.
If begun at an early age, these activities can foster brain development in young children, which improves language and communication skills. Children exposed regularly to reading, singing and talking are better prepared for school.
Maria "Alice" Alino, MD, and Eric Neal, MD highlight the importance and the beauty of talking, reading and singing to young children.
Selected Podcast
The Importance of Talking, Reading & Singing with Children
Featuring:
Dr. Maria “Alice” Alino began working at Oroville Hospital as a pediatrician in 1996. She earned her medical degree from the University of Santo Tomas and received residency training at the University of Florida, Jacksonville. She has participated in medical missions around the world and also sends medical care packages to underserved areas. Dr. Alino leads Oroville Hospital’s Fitness for Kids, Healthy Hustle and Read to Succeed programs. In 2018, she received the National Award for Community Service from the U.S.T. Medical Association of America.
Eric Neal, MD & Maria "Alice" Alino, MD
Dr. Eric Neal joined Oroville Hospital as a pediatrician in 2001. He is an Army veteran and attended University of Nevada’s School of Medicine, but returned home to California to raise his family. Dr. Neal is very involved in the community, both locally and globally. He has been on multiple missionary trips to Africa, where he provided medical care to underserved communities, and serves as a youth leader at his church. He is also involved in three Oroville Hospital committees including the Executive, Perinatology/Pediatrics and Quality Assurance committees.Dr. Maria “Alice” Alino began working at Oroville Hospital as a pediatrician in 1996. She earned her medical degree from the University of Santo Tomas and received residency training at the University of Florida, Jacksonville. She has participated in medical missions around the world and also sends medical care packages to underserved areas. Dr. Alino leads Oroville Hospital’s Fitness for Kids, Healthy Hustle and Read to Succeed programs. In 2018, she received the National Award for Community Service from the U.S.T. Medical Association of America.
Transcription:
Melanie Cole (Host): It has been shown that when parents spend time talking, reading, and singing to young children, it can help the child with early learning and development. You know, it's also a wonderful way to strengthen the parent-child bond. My guests today are Dr. Maria Alice Alino and Dr. Eric Neal, and they're both pediatricians with Oroville Hospital. Welcome to the show, Doctors. Tell us a little bit- Dr. Alino, I'd like to start with you. Why are health providers placing an emphasis on talking, reading, and singing with young children? Even children kind of too young to know what's going on.
Dr. Maria Alice Alino, MD (Guest): So research has shown, that providing children, especially from birth to five years old when their brain is rapidly developing, with a loving, consistent language experiences such as reading, talking, and singing have important benefits on their brain development and future success in school. The brain develops most rapidly in the first few years of life when 700 to 1,000 neuroselections form every second. So if we harness this potential, we will have children who will not only be ready for school, but will have a good shot in getting the most from their education and helping them be successful.
These studies also have shown that children with high quality early education are most likely to have higher lifetime earnings, finishing school, staying out of prison, hold a job, and have a stable family. In fact, a study done by the Council of Economic Advisors showed that every $1.00 invested in early education can save more than $8.00 the future by increasing graduation rates in earning and reducing violent crime. And another research has shown that 35% of children in the U.S. enter school without the necessarily skill to read. And they found that there's a nearly 90% probability that the child will remain a poor reader at the end of the fourth grade if the child is a poor reader at the end of first grade. And has long-term effects because it has been estimated by the U.S. Office of Technology that 25% of the adult workforce does not even read well enough to meet the requirements of today's workforce. So that is the reason why we're trying to do this early intervention.
Melanie: Wow, that is amazing research, what these studies have shown. And Dr. Neal, is this important for infants or also older children? Does there come a point when- because we've all learned as parents, now it's time to let your child read for themselves. Is it still important to read to our children even when they can sort of start to read for themselves?
Dr. Eric Neal, MD (Guest): Yeah, I mean for the younger children, that's when their brain is developing, and so even when they can't understand exactly what you're saying, they understand your voice, but it helps develop these connections for the future. They also will have- they understand your voice, it helps for bonding time to sit and read with your child rather than sitting them in front of a TV and watching someone else kind of talk to them. But it's important for the younger children even more than the older children because they're learning language skills and learning and developing those kinds of skills.
Melanie: Dr. Neal, I'm going to stick with you for a minute. What about technology? I mean some parents feel weird singing to their children, or getting a little wacky when they're talking or singing. But now with technology, has changed the picture in your opinion for the better or the worse if we're reading to them on an iPad? Is that any different than holding a little book?
Dr. Neal: An iPad I don't think- an iPad or a Kindle I don't think is as big of a problem as sitting in front of a TV or watching a video, something to that effect. For me, I guess it's just what I'm used to, but just kind of I think old school books especially for the younger kids, maybe something for them to be able to hold and turn the pages and stuff would be more helpful. But either way, if you're reading to your child, it's better to read whether you're doing it with a Kindle or an iPad or a book, but I think overall for especially younger kids, I think having kind of a paper or cardboard book is more helpful. Overall technology, we're in the iPad and iPhone generation, and kids are growing up not only watching TV, but texting and scrolling Facebook and social media, and different things, and they're taking their time doing those kinds of things, and it takes away from the reading the parents can do with the kids and learning how to read.
There's actually been studies that have shown that screen time can actually decrease your reading potential and your learning, even if you're doing kind of these educational apps. Especially in the younger kids, three to four years, it's more beneficial to read to them than to use screen time.
Dr. Alino: Can I add something else?
Melanie: Certainly, Dr. Alino. And what would you like to add?
Dr. Alino: Actually there's more negative outcome for television viewing because it's more passive. They're just looking at it. And one of the negative outcomes is actually obesity because it's such a passive endeavor. But on the digital media such as like iPads and smartphones, there are both benefits and negative outcomes. The benefits of course, there's exposure- there's early learning, exposure to new ideas, they can surf the Internet if they would like to, it's interactive. However, they've found that a lot of the negative effects of it are that children are spending more time looking at the pictures on the smartphones and iPads, so one of the things is they noticed that there's decreased sleep and they also- and then decreased sleep between activity, causing them to be overweight, and of course there's also exposure to inappropriate content. Another thing of course is the lack of bonding that happens because this digital media becomes a surrogate babysitter or a parent in some families. So that's the negative outcomes.
Melanie: Dr. Alino, what are some activity recommendations that you would give parents to encourage talking, reading, singing, just really communicating with your children even when they're tiny so that they can hear your voice and get involved?
Dr. Alino: I think we should think that every opportunity is a teaching opportunity. So talking is teaching. So for example, you're just bathing the child, talk to the child, sing to the child, and also when you see that they're looking at even the screen, because I know we are quite strict with the screen time, if you think they're looking at the screen, then be there beside them, explain to them what's happening. If they see Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, or Winnie the Pooh, be there present and you can explain to them.
And then everywhere you go talk or sing about what you see. So you have to be the child's first teacher. Don't wait for Head Start or kindergarten to start those. And read a book to the baby every day. More than every day, if you can do that. And of course, doing reading in a loving environment like hugging, laughing, and sharing close moments. When you're doing those things, it makes it more meaningful and it becomes a positive rather than a negative communication or an event with you and your child.
Melanie: Well it certainly does, and it is fun for parents to read, and sing, and talk to our children. And Dr. Neal, tell us what you're doing in your practice to help foster these learning environments for parents and for their children.
Dr. Neal: Well prevention is kind of the key to the pediatric trend to prevent kids from having diseases. So we do immunizations, and we kind of screen children for development, making sure that they're hearing well, they're seeing well. And also part of that is making sure that their language is good, that their language is developing well.
We have a program called Reach Out and Read that we've partnered with for the past year or so. We started it a couple years ago, it took some time to get set up. So for the past year, they provide us with books that's through First 5 California, and they provide us with a book to give to a child from six months to five years. So each time they come in for a physical or a well child's check, children from six months to five years receive a book. And then it's also a time to kind of encourage the parents to read to their children every day. If children are having speech delay, kind of encouraging them to read to them, and explaining that speech delay can be related to increased screen time, so trying to encourage them to decrease their screen time and increase reading as you're giving them their book.
Melanie: Dr. Alino, why have you decided to make talking, reading, and singing a core focus in your practice? Tell us- wrap it up for the listeners of why you think that this is so important, and that it can really help strengthen that parent-child bond.
Dr. Alino: I am actually going to give two quotes for you, because you know how there's always studies of like discrepancy whether you're high income, low income, race, education, the parents. And there is something from the- it's called the Too Small to Fail program. It stated that there is evidence that knowledge about child development, the knowledge of the parent about child development rather than income or education level is the strongest predictor of the frequency and quality of a mother's communication with her child. So if all the parents and caregivers realized how much their children can benefit from talking, reading, and singing to them every day, it will make a huge difference in the child's life. And another quote that's from President Obama, he said, "Early education is a win for everybody," and indeed it is.
Melanie: Dr. Neal, last word to you. What would you like the listeners to take away from this message?
Dr. Neal: The biggest thing is just, like I said, kind of the increasing technology that we have available to us today, is that it's not always beneficial and often it doesn't help with your reading. It causes more problems and more delays. So the biggest thing is just spending time with your children, especially in the younger ages when they're learning to read, when they're learning things. As children are growing up in the first five years, that's when they develop their speech, and that's why it's easier for children to learn how to speak a language or learn how to speak two languages than it is for an adult to learn Spanish or Italian when they're thirty years old.
So it's just really key for them developing their speech in the first five years or so and reading things to your children is probably one of the best ways to develop that with them.
Melanie: Thank you so much, Doctors, for joining me today, and for giving us such great information on the importance of talk, reading, and singing to our children, and how this can really help them to be better learners. Thank you again for joining us. You're listening to Growing Healthy Together, a podcast by Oroville Hospital. For more information, please visit www.OrovilleHospital.com. That's www.OrovilleHospital.com. I'm Melanie Cole, thanks so much for tuning in.
Melanie Cole (Host): It has been shown that when parents spend time talking, reading, and singing to young children, it can help the child with early learning and development. You know, it's also a wonderful way to strengthen the parent-child bond. My guests today are Dr. Maria Alice Alino and Dr. Eric Neal, and they're both pediatricians with Oroville Hospital. Welcome to the show, Doctors. Tell us a little bit- Dr. Alino, I'd like to start with you. Why are health providers placing an emphasis on talking, reading, and singing with young children? Even children kind of too young to know what's going on.
Dr. Maria Alice Alino, MD (Guest): So research has shown, that providing children, especially from birth to five years old when their brain is rapidly developing, with a loving, consistent language experiences such as reading, talking, and singing have important benefits on their brain development and future success in school. The brain develops most rapidly in the first few years of life when 700 to 1,000 neuroselections form every second. So if we harness this potential, we will have children who will not only be ready for school, but will have a good shot in getting the most from their education and helping them be successful.
These studies also have shown that children with high quality early education are most likely to have higher lifetime earnings, finishing school, staying out of prison, hold a job, and have a stable family. In fact, a study done by the Council of Economic Advisors showed that every $1.00 invested in early education can save more than $8.00 the future by increasing graduation rates in earning and reducing violent crime. And another research has shown that 35% of children in the U.S. enter school without the necessarily skill to read. And they found that there's a nearly 90% probability that the child will remain a poor reader at the end of the fourth grade if the child is a poor reader at the end of first grade. And has long-term effects because it has been estimated by the U.S. Office of Technology that 25% of the adult workforce does not even read well enough to meet the requirements of today's workforce. So that is the reason why we're trying to do this early intervention.
Melanie: Wow, that is amazing research, what these studies have shown. And Dr. Neal, is this important for infants or also older children? Does there come a point when- because we've all learned as parents, now it's time to let your child read for themselves. Is it still important to read to our children even when they can sort of start to read for themselves?
Dr. Eric Neal, MD (Guest): Yeah, I mean for the younger children, that's when their brain is developing, and so even when they can't understand exactly what you're saying, they understand your voice, but it helps develop these connections for the future. They also will have- they understand your voice, it helps for bonding time to sit and read with your child rather than sitting them in front of a TV and watching someone else kind of talk to them. But it's important for the younger children even more than the older children because they're learning language skills and learning and developing those kinds of skills.
Melanie: Dr. Neal, I'm going to stick with you for a minute. What about technology? I mean some parents feel weird singing to their children, or getting a little wacky when they're talking or singing. But now with technology, has changed the picture in your opinion for the better or the worse if we're reading to them on an iPad? Is that any different than holding a little book?
Dr. Neal: An iPad I don't think- an iPad or a Kindle I don't think is as big of a problem as sitting in front of a TV or watching a video, something to that effect. For me, I guess it's just what I'm used to, but just kind of I think old school books especially for the younger kids, maybe something for them to be able to hold and turn the pages and stuff would be more helpful. But either way, if you're reading to your child, it's better to read whether you're doing it with a Kindle or an iPad or a book, but I think overall for especially younger kids, I think having kind of a paper or cardboard book is more helpful. Overall technology, we're in the iPad and iPhone generation, and kids are growing up not only watching TV, but texting and scrolling Facebook and social media, and different things, and they're taking their time doing those kinds of things, and it takes away from the reading the parents can do with the kids and learning how to read.
There's actually been studies that have shown that screen time can actually decrease your reading potential and your learning, even if you're doing kind of these educational apps. Especially in the younger kids, three to four years, it's more beneficial to read to them than to use screen time.
Dr. Alino: Can I add something else?
Melanie: Certainly, Dr. Alino. And what would you like to add?
Dr. Alino: Actually there's more negative outcome for television viewing because it's more passive. They're just looking at it. And one of the negative outcomes is actually obesity because it's such a passive endeavor. But on the digital media such as like iPads and smartphones, there are both benefits and negative outcomes. The benefits of course, there's exposure- there's early learning, exposure to new ideas, they can surf the Internet if they would like to, it's interactive. However, they've found that a lot of the negative effects of it are that children are spending more time looking at the pictures on the smartphones and iPads, so one of the things is they noticed that there's decreased sleep and they also- and then decreased sleep between activity, causing them to be overweight, and of course there's also exposure to inappropriate content. Another thing of course is the lack of bonding that happens because this digital media becomes a surrogate babysitter or a parent in some families. So that's the negative outcomes.
Melanie: Dr. Alino, what are some activity recommendations that you would give parents to encourage talking, reading, singing, just really communicating with your children even when they're tiny so that they can hear your voice and get involved?
Dr. Alino: I think we should think that every opportunity is a teaching opportunity. So talking is teaching. So for example, you're just bathing the child, talk to the child, sing to the child, and also when you see that they're looking at even the screen, because I know we are quite strict with the screen time, if you think they're looking at the screen, then be there beside them, explain to them what's happening. If they see Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, or Winnie the Pooh, be there present and you can explain to them.
And then everywhere you go talk or sing about what you see. So you have to be the child's first teacher. Don't wait for Head Start or kindergarten to start those. And read a book to the baby every day. More than every day, if you can do that. And of course, doing reading in a loving environment like hugging, laughing, and sharing close moments. When you're doing those things, it makes it more meaningful and it becomes a positive rather than a negative communication or an event with you and your child.
Melanie: Well it certainly does, and it is fun for parents to read, and sing, and talk to our children. And Dr. Neal, tell us what you're doing in your practice to help foster these learning environments for parents and for their children.
Dr. Neal: Well prevention is kind of the key to the pediatric trend to prevent kids from having diseases. So we do immunizations, and we kind of screen children for development, making sure that they're hearing well, they're seeing well. And also part of that is making sure that their language is good, that their language is developing well.
We have a program called Reach Out and Read that we've partnered with for the past year or so. We started it a couple years ago, it took some time to get set up. So for the past year, they provide us with books that's through First 5 California, and they provide us with a book to give to a child from six months to five years. So each time they come in for a physical or a well child's check, children from six months to five years receive a book. And then it's also a time to kind of encourage the parents to read to their children every day. If children are having speech delay, kind of encouraging them to read to them, and explaining that speech delay can be related to increased screen time, so trying to encourage them to decrease their screen time and increase reading as you're giving them their book.
Melanie: Dr. Alino, why have you decided to make talking, reading, and singing a core focus in your practice? Tell us- wrap it up for the listeners of why you think that this is so important, and that it can really help strengthen that parent-child bond.
Dr. Alino: I am actually going to give two quotes for you, because you know how there's always studies of like discrepancy whether you're high income, low income, race, education, the parents. And there is something from the- it's called the Too Small to Fail program. It stated that there is evidence that knowledge about child development, the knowledge of the parent about child development rather than income or education level is the strongest predictor of the frequency and quality of a mother's communication with her child. So if all the parents and caregivers realized how much their children can benefit from talking, reading, and singing to them every day, it will make a huge difference in the child's life. And another quote that's from President Obama, he said, "Early education is a win for everybody," and indeed it is.
Melanie: Dr. Neal, last word to you. What would you like the listeners to take away from this message?
Dr. Neal: The biggest thing is just, like I said, kind of the increasing technology that we have available to us today, is that it's not always beneficial and often it doesn't help with your reading. It causes more problems and more delays. So the biggest thing is just spending time with your children, especially in the younger ages when they're learning to read, when they're learning things. As children are growing up in the first five years, that's when they develop their speech, and that's why it's easier for children to learn how to speak a language or learn how to speak two languages than it is for an adult to learn Spanish or Italian when they're thirty years old.
So it's just really key for them developing their speech in the first five years or so and reading things to your children is probably one of the best ways to develop that with them.
Melanie: Thank you so much, Doctors, for joining me today, and for giving us such great information on the importance of talk, reading, and singing to our children, and how this can really help them to be better learners. Thank you again for joining us. You're listening to Growing Healthy Together, a podcast by Oroville Hospital. For more information, please visit www.OrovilleHospital.com. That's www.OrovilleHospital.com. I'm Melanie Cole, thanks so much for tuning in.