Pediatrician Column

: I’m having difficulty getting my son interested in reading. Do you have any tips?

: Reading plays an important role in your child’s overall health and well being. Good reading skills are important all the way through life and, as a parent, you can help your child develop such skills while having fun at the same time. Here are 15 ways to encourage a love of reading, from birth all the way through to adulthood: 

1. Read to your child. Include reading in your everyday activities. Even just a few minutes will make a difference. Reading together is a great way for you to create a special bond with your child. Even when he can read alone, continue to read out loud with him. Choose books that are a bit above your child’s reading level, as long as they are books that he can still understand and enjoy. 
     

2. Read with your child. Children who are learning to read need to practice this new skill. If your child is doing well, reading each night at home is a chance for him to show off. If your child is having trouble, it provides a safe place to practice with someone he trusts. 
     

3. Be a role model. One of the most important things is for your child to see you enjoying reading. If he sees you and other family members reading books, newspapers and magazines, he’ll learn that reading is important and valuable. 
    

4. Use rhymes, games and songs. This is a great way to expose him to other languages. Singing traditional songs and telling stories can enhance your child’s learning opportunities. 
     

5. Ask the experts for help. Teachers and librarians are good sources of advice for books that are appropriate for your child’s age and reading level. Bookstore employees are often very helpful and knowledgeable. If your child has trouble reading, choose stories that he can relate to.
     

6. Visit the library and create one at home. Get your child a library card as soon as you can (even babies can get a library card!). Make a library visit part of your routine. If there are more books than toys in the house, he is more likely to pick up a book when there’s nothing to do. Consider creating a special reading place in your home that is quiet and cozy. 
     

7. Find opportunities to read. Encourage your child to read street signs, the back of the cereal boxes or the sports pages of the daily newspaper. He might also enjoy reading non-fiction or comic books. Following a recipe when baking is a good way to help children learn to read carefully — leaving out just one ingredient can lead to disaster! 
     

8. Give your child a choice of books. Present a few books that are the right type and length for your child and let him choose. If you don’t present a few options, he may not make good choices. Children sometimes choose the biggest (or smallest) book, or the one with the most attractive cover instead of one that is age appropriate.
     

9. Limit television/computer time. Create time for reading by limiting the amount of time your child spends watching television or playing video games. 
     

10. Keep a record of what your child is reading. Use an incentive chart to help encourage more reading or keep a diary where children can write down their thoughts about the books. Encourage your child to keep a list of books that have been read, which also lets him practice writing. 
      

11. Encourage writing. Reading and writing go together. Children can practice their writing skills by making lists, keeping a journal, making a catalogue of their collections or writing to friends and family. 
      

12. When you are helping your child read, focus on meaning. Reading well is about understanding meaning, not just knowing how to say the words. If your child is stuck on a word, don’t just “sound it out.” Talk about the text and ask questions. Help him figure out the word from the context of the rest of the passage or the pictures. Try not to interrupt unless the mistakes affect his ability to understand the text. At the end of the paragraph or chapter, go back to words your child didn’t know or had trouble sounding out and review them together. 
      

13. Give your child some control over who reads and when. It’s important to support your child if he decides to take on a longer book. And take turns reading, perhaps alternating paragraphs or pages. Or you can “act out” the story — your child can read the dialogue and you can narrate by reading the rest of the text. 
      

14. If your child is an impatient reader, choose books that have movement. Books with short chapters or “cliff-hangers” encourage children to keep reading. If you are reading aloud, use sound effects and different voices to help keep the story interesting. 
      

15. Have fun with word play. Tell jokes and puns, and play games that involve words, like Scrabble, Boggle and hangman. Do crossword puzzles together. 

Call your child’s doctor if:

• Your child has trouble paying attention when you read. 

• He was reading well but is now having trouble. 

• He is finding it hard to remember words that he should know. 

• He is having any physical symptoms (i.e. pain, poor sleep) as well as struggling with reading. 

• The teacher is concerned about your child’s vision or hearing. 

• He is becoming frustrated or depressed by his struggle to learn to read.  
   

Dr. Denis Leduc is a general pediatrician in the Montreal area. He is the Past-President of the Canadian Pediatric Society.  For more information on your child’s growth and development, visit the Canadian Pediatric Society’s website at www.caringforkids.cps.ca or www.soinsdenosenfants.cps.ca.