Registered Nurse Carmel Fish knows the importance of reading to babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit.

Having worked at Royal North Shore Hospital’s NICU for the last 31 years, Carmel is a passionate advocate for parents reading to their babies in the NICU. For the last two years she has coordinated the Little Readers Read-a-thon which aims to empower parents to read to their baby every day.

Carmel said while a baby is in the NICU critical brain development is occurring, including the development of the pathways in the brain that control language skills.

"By reading to your baby in the NICU, you’re not only bonding with them and reducing some of the stress associated with being in the NICU, but you are also supporting your baby’s brain development," she said.

"It’s a long day for parents to come and sit in the NICU with their baby. Reading to your baby is an activity parents can do every day during a time where many feel helpless in an intense and stressful environment."

In this year’s Little Readers Read-a-thon, parents at the RNSH NICU read 81 different books to their babies – the third highest number for those participating across Australian hospitals and the first in the state. For its efforts, the NICU was donated 30 children’s books to help build the unit’s library.

"We are so pleased with how many parents got involved this year, and how many books were read – it’s a fantastic initiative to encourage parents to pick up a book and read to their baby," Carmel said.

Research shows children who are read to on a regular basis when they are young are more readily able to learn to read once they start school. When hearing someone read, children learn to recognise the structure of language, learn grammar and recognise the sound of words. Children also learn to love books and stimulate their imagination.

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