Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, has started checking literacy skills during pediatric visits for kids as young as 3. The hospital says it wants to spot reading struggles early and coach parents on simple home habits. The program focuses on clinics near schools where kindergarten readiness scores run low. Screeners spend about 10 minutes listening as a child reads a book in English or Spanish. They do not diagnose dyslexia. They build a personal plan and send families home with literacy kits. Coordinators also connect families to preschool programs and follow up a year later.
