Kids get checkup and a book

FLORENCE - Carson Crunk knew exactly what he'd get during his checkup at the Infants' and Children's Clinic in Florence.

"A book," said the 4-year-old from Anderson.

Despite being a little sleepy after the drive to Florence, as well as a little anxious after getting his eyes, ears and blood pressure checked, Carson came to life when Dr. Richetta Huffman-Parker handed him his very own "Curious George" book.

"He loves books," said Erica Crunk, Carson's mom. "We go to the library every other week, and we'll read to him at night and he'll tell us what the pictures in the book are."

Huffman-Parker couldn't have been more pleased.

"Perfect," she said. "That's exactly what we want to hear."

Infants' and Children's has become the first pediatric group in the Shoals to participate in the Reach Out and Read program, a national nonprofit children's literacy program that works with medical providers to reach children between 6 months and 5 years old. Dr. Grant Allen, a pediatrician at Infants' and Children's, wrote the grant that made the program possible.

Since June, children such as Carson have been getting an age-appropriate book along with their vaccinations as part of well-child checkups that occur at 6, 9, 12 and 15 months old and at 2, 4 and 5 years old.

"Children explore a book by their senses," Allen said. "Sometimes, a parent will want to put it away, and I'll tell them it's OK for the child to chew on it or throw it. That's exactly what we want them do with the board books when they're younger."

The issue of childhood literacy is close to the pediatrician's heart.

While a medical school student, Allen conducted surveys of parents about the number of books in their homes. What he found only confirmed what he said he already suspected.

"Sometimes, the only literature in the home would be the TV Guide," he said. "So this program becomes an opportunity not only to introduce books to children but to reintroduce them into the home and to the parent."

As the 57th site in the state to become a part of the Reach Out and Read program, Allen said it's even more important than ever to get books in the hands of children, especially when Alabama ranks 48th in the United States for parents who read to young children daily.

Beyond the literacy component, there have been some additional, unexpected benefits to the program.

"We like to hear the child talk to see where he is developmentally," Allen said.

"Sometimes, it can be difficult for them during the exam, but they open up when they get the book, often pointing to objects and telling us what they are. We get to know where they are developmentally at that point."

Reach Out and Read is also designed for school readiness, and it's a way to help children who may not have been exposed to a pre-kindergarten program be prepared for the regular school day.

"They'll know that in this book there are words that tell a great story they want to hear," Allen said.

Just a month into the program, the shelves at the College Street office as well as at the Well Child Center, which also is in Florence, are full to bursting with well-known titles for the toddler set, including Dr. Seuss' "The Foot Book," Rosemary Wells' "Read to Your Bunny" and Margaret Wise Brown's classic, "Goodnight Moon."

But Allen said he's already at work on raising the $13,000 that will be needed by next June to keep the program going.

Ultimately, he said there are other goals he would like to incorporate into the local Reach Out and Read program, among them adult volunteers to read to children in the office waiting rooms as well as being able to provide older siblings with books.

"We've accepted some donations from Northwest-Shoals Community College and a few others of some gently used books for older children, and we're happy to take more," Allen said.

"What we have just isn't enough to begin doing that yet."

Michelle Rupe Eubanks can be reached at 740-5745 or michelle.eubanks@TimesDaily.com.