O2076: Impact of Implementing Reach out and Read in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

Background: Premature and sick infants cared for in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are at increased risk of developmental delays that may be mitigated by enhanced language exposure through shared reading. We piloted Reach Out and Read in the NICU (ROR NICU), a new program based on the evidence-based outpatient program, to evaluate program acceptance and impact on reading habits.

Methods: We distributed self-administered electronic surveys via REDCap in English or Spanish to consenting parents of infants sequentially admitted to the NICU with estimated lengths of stay greater than two weeks, and no concern for uncertain viability or significant social complexity. Pre-implementation (baseline) and post-implementation (ROR) parent cohorts were surveyed at admission, discharge, and one-month post-discharge. ROR parents received books paired with education and encouragement around shared reading every two weeks. Surveys assessed reading habits, attitudes toward shared reading, and parental experience with ROR NICU.

Results: The baseline sample included 50 parents of infants with mean gestational age of 33 4/7 weeks (range 25 5/7-40 1/7) who completed surveys at admission (N=50), discharge (N=46) and one-month post-discharge (N=45). The ROR cohort included 53 parents of infants with mean gestational age 34 3/5 (range 24 1/7- 41 1/7) who completed surveys at admission (N=53), discharge (N=44), and one-month post-discharge (N=30) (data collection ongoing). At discharge, ROR parents reported higher rates of regular reading (defined as at least three times weekly), 64%, compared to 26% of baseline. Additionally, 95% of ROR parents reported shared reading as one of three activities they were most looking forward to doing with their infant compared to 61% in the baseline group. More ROR parents, 98%, believed infants are ready for shared reading beginning at birth, regardless of prematurity, compared to 78% of baseline parents. ROR parents reported they liked ROR NICU (95%), enjoyed receiving books in the NICU (100%), agreed the NICU is the right time to talk about reading (84%), and reported that getting books made their overall NICU experience more positive (98%). Some (41%) thought getting a book every two weeks was not often enough. At one-month post-discharge, 100% still had some or all of their books and 73% reported that being part of ROR NICU had led them to read more often to their infants.

Conclusion: Parents who received books and education about shared reading reported higher rates of regular reading in the NICU compared to baseline. ROR NICU was well-received by parents who reported that they enjoyed receiving books and that ROR NICU enhanced their NICU experience. These preliminary results suggest a role for shared reading programs like ROR NICU in fostering developmental promotion and parent engagement.

Funded by the Academic Pediatric Association Reach Out and Read Young Investigator Award