THANKS TO A NEW BILL introduced to Congress by our own Sen. Jack Reed, more doctors could send their youngest patients home with their own new book and valuable advice for their parents about the importance of reading together.

Senator Reed’s Prescribe a Book Act (S.1895), co-sponsored by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D.-R.I.) and Sen. Charles Grassley (R.-Iowa), would create a federal pediatric early literacy grant initiative based on the longstanding, successful Reach Out and Read program. Under the new, five-year, $85 million initiative, parents would be sent home with a prescription to read to their child and the tool to make it happen — a brand-new children’s book.

Reach Out and Read (ROR) is working to reach parents and children at the critical stage before they begin kindergarten so children enter school prepared for success in reading. We at Hasbro Children’s Hospital have conducted studies of the ROR model in which pediatricians provide children’s books at every check-up, from six months through five years, and guidance to parents about the importance of reading with their child.

We have shown that this simple yet potent intervention results in parents’ reading more often with their infants, toddlers and preschoolers, and enjoying this time more, too. As a result, by 16 months of age, these children are using more words and understanding more words also. This is important because improved early language is the single strongest predictor we have of later school success.

A national, nonprofit children’s literacy program, Reach Out and Read focuses on the children at greatest risk — young children living at or near poverty. The ROR Coalition here in Rhode Island currently serves children at 40 locations across the state including our health centers and Hasbro Children’s Hospital’s general pediatric clinics. It reaches nearly 28,000 infants, toddlers and preschoolers with close to 50,000 new books each year.

Nationally, thousands of doctors this year will give 4.6 million new books to 2.8 million low-income families in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the U. S. Virgin Islands. ROR distributes carefully selected developmentally and culturally appropriate books in 12 languages, first with board books for infants and toddlers and then with more complex picture books for pre-schoolers. Each child who participates in ROR starts kindergarten with a home library of up to 10 books and a parent who has heard at every well-child visit about the importance of reading together.

The Reach Out and Read model is supported by more research than almost any other primary-care intervention. Studies show that parents who get literacy counseling from their doctors and nurses and whose children receive books are more likely to read to their young children and have more children’s books in their homes. Low-income children who have participated in Reach Out and Read show improved language development. Children score 4 to 8 points higher on vocabulary tests, giving two-year-olds a six-month head start developmentally.

Endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, Reach Out and Read is one of five organizations worldwide to be awarded a 2007 United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) literacy award. It was the only American literacy program presented at the White House Conference on Global Literacy.

Reach Out and Read received $5.9 million in federal funding last year. Senator Reed’s bill would authorize $15 million in fiscal year 2009, $16 million in FY 2010, $17 million in FY 2011, $18 million in FY 2012 and $19 million in FY 2013.

We commend Senator Reed for his work as a long-time champion of the Reach Out and Read program on behalf of Rhode Island’s children as well as children across the nation. Every year, 35 percent of American children start school without the language skills necessary to learn to read. We urge Congress to pass the Prescribe a Book Act. It’s time to expand this proven program and give more children the chance to enter school ready to learn and succeed.

Aaron Friedman, M.D., is a professor and chairman of pediatrics at Brown University’s medical school, and is pediatrician-in-chief at Rhode Island Hasbro Children’s Hospital. Pamela High, M.D., is a professor of pediatricts at Brown’s medical school and director of developmental/behavioral pediatrics at Hasbro Children’s Hospital.