Published: July 23, 2008 11:43 am            

Reading: Important to your health

Children through the age of five who come to the Suwannee County Health Department for a Well Child Physical get free books. It’s a good way to promote early literacy and to show parents the importance of reading aloud to their children.

The books are provided by the “Reach Out and Read Program.” This program also made funding available to provide children’s activities, books, puzzles and furniture in the health department’s waiting area. The ability to read, write and understand letters and numbers is a basic component to maintaining good health and eliminating health disparities. Individuals with low literacy skills are at risk of not understanding the materials given to them by health care providers. Low literacy levels can also keep an individual from understanding the risks of medical procedures.

The Live Oak chapter of Altrusa International recently partnered with the health department to provide books to give to older children and provide a bookcase for the waiting room. Altrusa is an international organization of female business leaders. One of the main goals of the organization is to promote literacy. The bookcase and books are the first steps to an on-going partnership with the Health Department that will hopefully inspire a love of reading in young patients who visit the Health Department. Altrusa members have also made a commitment to have a book drive each year to replenish the books.

Through this partnership the health department and Altrusa International of Live Oak hope to generate a love for reading in the young patients who visit the health department.

        

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