The latest data from the 2024 Nation’s Report Card is a sobering indictment of the state of American education. While slight improvements in math scores offer a glimmer of hope, the continued decline in reading proficiency — particularly among fourth-graders — is cause for urgent concern. To frame this solely as an education crisis is to miss the broader implications: This is, in every sense, a public health emergency.

As a pediatrician, I’ve long understood that literacy is not just an academic skill — it’s a vital developmental sign. In the exam room, alongside questions about sleep, vaccines, and nutrition, I ask about reading routines. That’s because brain development in early childhood is not a passive process. It’s actively shaped by human connection, responsive interactions, and, perhaps most powerfully, the simple act of reading aloud.

Read the full post by Terri D. McFadden, MD, FAAP HERE