WKW Wong

Abstract

Aim: To determine if book prescription by paediatrician at community-based clinics can improve literacy orientation and home literacy environment in high-risk families. Patient & Methods: 70 at risk children under Comprehensive Child Development Service aged from 6 to 30 months received book prescription from April to December 2017. Questionnaires on reading aloud were completed by parents just before the intervention and then 6 months later. Results: Before book prescription, 25.7% of parents read book with their child and 17.1% chose reading book with their child as top three preferred activities. After the intervention, the corresponding figures significantly increased to 54.3% and 51.4% (p-values <0.001) respectively. Parents read more frequently with their child every week (p-values <0.001) and had more books at home after intervention (p-values <0.001). Conclusions: Book prescription by paediatrician at community-based clinics can be an effective strategy in promoting positive parenting and early literacy development for high-risk children locally.