Pediatric hospital in Columbus screens young children for reading ability

Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus began screening children's literacy at age 3 during pediatric visits, launching the program in 2022 and conducting more than 2,400 screenings; coordinators create personalized plans, hand out literacy kits and follow up with families.

Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus has added brief literacy screenings to some pediatric visits for children starting at age 3. The effort began in 2022 and targets clinics near schools with lower kindergarten readiness scores. Hospital staff say the screenings are intended to identify early reading needs and offer practical support to families. National data cited in the article note that reading proficiency among fourth graders remains low, contributing to the program's context. Key details: - Screenings are done during primary care visits, take about 10 minutes, and are offered in English or Spanish. - The program launched in 2022 and has completed more than 2,400 screenings across about half of the hospital's 13 clinics. - Screeners are not diagnostic for learning disabilities but are used to flag areas where a child may need extra practice or support. - Coordinators provide personalized literacy plans, assemble donated literacy kits for at-home practice, refer families to early education programs, and often meet children again about a year later. Summary: The program aims to identify early reading challenges and give families tools and referrals before children enter kindergarten. The screenings and follow-up contacts are ongoing, and broader expansion beyond the participating clinics is undetermined at this time.