At just 3 years old, Quintina Davis’ granddaughter, Juri, could name colors, numbers and shapes.

Davis often heard from family and friends that Juri was smart and she should consider enrolling her granddaughter in preschool early.

And a new literacy screening at one of her granddaughter’s primary care checkups confirmed it.

In recent years, literacy has become an issue that’s extended far beyond the classroom and a child’s home, reaching government — and now hospitals.

At six of Nationwide Children’s Hospital’s 13 clinics, in Columbus, Ohio, 3 to 5 year olds are receiving reading screenings during their pediatric visits. Since 2022, more than 7,000 children have received the screenings.

“When kids come into their primary care pediatrician, if they’re coming into all of their checkups, they would come in 15 times before they start kindergarten,” said Sara Bode, medical director of school-based health at Nationwide Children’s. “That was a really opportune setting for us to really think about where we are in intervening, assessing or understanding where kids are with their literacy and supporting that from the clinic.”

The 5-minute screenings are done annually at the beginning of a regular check up by a team of “Kindergarten Readiness Coordinators,” who are former early childhood educators and now work at the hospital.

The screening does not check for learning disabilities, but can identify some challenges with language development. The screening mainly focuses on foundational skills that are learned at home through activities like reading with a parent before bed or letter games.

By doing a small read aloud with a board book, the coordinators assess a child’s letter and shape recognition, rhyming and fine motor skills — like turning a page. Afterward, they’re able to tell parents if their child is ahead, on track or needs additional support, providing an opportunity for early intervention well before a child enters a formal classroom setting.

Read the full article about the clinics screening young kids for reading skills by Jessika Harkay at The 74.