Champaign Police Lt. Sean Ater understands the importance of reading to children having read not only to his children when they were growing up but also passing along books he received to shipmates while he was deployed four years as a gunner’s mate in the U.S. Navy.
His mother, Sandy, instilled in her children the importance of reading and she also knows the (NICU) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Carle Foundation Hospital, having been a nurse there for nearly four decades. When she started working in the NICU there were six beds and now there are 48.
The two came together during the annual Babies with Books Read-a-thon, a national effort to support families and observe shared reading. Local notable visitors stopped in briefly from Sept. 14 through 24 to read aloud to the tiniest of patients at Carle Foundation Hospital. Lt. Ater volunteered to read when the invitation to readers went out in the police department.
“It was quite a nice surprise. I am proud of what he does for this community,” Sandy Ater said.
NICU’s Liz Kelm, RN, spearheads the annual read-a-thon at Carle Foundation Hospital in hopes to bring attention to the importance of early language exposure. NICU babies are often at risk of delays in neurodevelopment. Parents and staff may not even be able to hold the most critical patients.
“Reading gives parents an opportunity to bond with their child as well as support their baby’s growth and development,” Kelm said.
Due to infection control, only new books are accepted into the NICU and anyone can purchase a book through this link so it goes directly to the unit.
Studies show babies respond to their parent’s voice and emotions more than anyone else and when they hear words and language, they form brain connections that support their learning throughout their life.
“The babies really respond to a parent’s voice. The sound brings calm to a restless baby and sometimes their eyes open and they are a bit more attentive,” Sandy Ater said.
Lt. Ater said some of his favorite books to read to his children were “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom,” and “I Am Not Going to Get Up Today” by Dr. Seuss. Sandy Ater recalls reading to her grandchildren books such as “Merry Christmas Mom and Dad,” and “The Berenstein Bears.”
Other notable reader visitors to the NICU this year were Josh Whitman, University of Illinois athletic director, Camryn Crocker, University of Illinois men’s basketball assistant coach; Champaign Police Chief Timothy T. Tyler; WCIA meteorologist Jacob Dickey; retired WCIA broadcaster Jennifer Roscoe; and Champaign Police Lt. Katherine Thompson.
His mother, Sandy, instilled in her children the importance of reading and she also knows the (NICU) Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at Carle Foundation Hospital, having been a nurse there for nearly four decades. When she started working in the NICU there were six beds and now there are 48.
The two came together during the annual Babies with Books Read-a-thon, a national effort to support families and observe shared reading. Local notable visitors stopped in briefly from Sept. 14 through 24 to read aloud to the tiniest of patients at Carle Foundation Hospital. Lt. Ater volunteered to read when the invitation to readers went out in the police department.
“It was quite a nice surprise. I am proud of what he does for this community,” Sandy Ater said.NICU’s Liz Kelm, RN, spearheads the annual read-a-thon at Carle Foundation Hospital in hopes to bring attention to the importance of early language exposure. NICU babies are often at risk of delays in neurodevelopment. Parents and staff may not even be able to hold the most critical patients.
“Reading gives parents an opportunity to bond with their child as well as support their baby’s growth and development,” Kelm said.
Due to infection control, only new books are accepted into the NICU and anyone can purchase a book through this link so it goes directly to the unit.
Studies show babies respond to their parent’s voice and emotions more than anyone else and when they hear words and language, they form brain connections that support their learning throughout their life.
“The babies really respond to a parent’s voice. The sound brings calm to a restless baby and sometimes their eyes open and they are a bit more attentive,” Sandy Ater said.
Lt. Ater said some of his favorite books to read to his children were “The Very Hungry Caterpillar,” “Chicka Chicka Boom Boom,” and “I Am Not Going to Get Up Today” by Dr. Seuss. Sandy Ater recalls reading to her grandchildren books such as “Merry Christmas Mom and Dad,” and “The Berenstein Bears.”
Other notable reader visitors to the NICU this year were Josh Whitman, University of Illinois athletic director, Camryn Crocker, University of Illinois men’s basketball assistant coach; Champaign Police Chief Timothy T. Tyler; WCIA meteorologist Jacob Dickey; retired WCIA broadcaster Jennifer Roscoe; and Champaign Police Lt. Katherine Thompson.
Categories: Culture of Quality, Staying Healthy, Community
Tags: baby, Carle Foundation Hospital, Champaign-Urbana, NICU