American Academy of Pediatrics Releases New Guidelines on the Importance of Reading to Babies

I have always been a staunch believer in the importance of reading stories to babies.  When I was pregnant with my son, I read to my growing belly every day, and when he arrived nine months later, my husband and I continued to read to him, as this bonding experience with our little baby meant a great deal to us.  And, even though they may not have the capacity to learn to read during this stage in their life, this early exposure to books during their infancy will not only lead them on the path to developing those all-important early speech, language and phonemic skills, but you are helping to open the doors to furthering their imagination through the wonder that only books can bring.
     Kudos to Dr. Dipesh Navsaria, medical director of the Wisconsin chapter of Reach Out and Read (a nonprofit literacy group that enlists over thousands of pediatricians throughout the United States to distribute books to low-income families), Too Small to Fail (a joint effort from the nonprofit Next Generation and the Bill, Hillary and Chelsea Clinton Foundation) and Scholastic for working together on furthering this vital cause.
     http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/24/us/pediatrics-group-t

Summer Safety Tips to Protect Your Little Ones

     The hot, lazy days of summer are once again upon us, and it is time to enjoy all those family favorite warm weather activities.  Amidst all of the outdoor fun, be wary of too much exposure and exercise in times of high heat and humidity.  Parents and caregivers everywhere should be on the lookout for signs of potentially serious and even life-threatening heat-related illnesses in their children.   With this in mind, the AAP has recently issued a series of tips to help keep your little ones safe during this season!

http://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/news-features-and-safety-tips/Pages/Summer-Safety-Tips.aspx