Dr. Scott McLeod, a developmental pediatrician at Alberta Children's Hospital, is shown in a 2019 handout photo. The Canadian Paediatric Society says doctors should regularly screen children for reading difficulties and dyslexia, calling low literacy a "serious public health concern" that can increase the risk of other problems including anxiety, low self-esteem and behavioural issues, with lifelong consequences. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Canadian Paediatric Society, Chris Boar.
The Canadian Paediatric Society has issued new guidance urging healthcare professionals to regularly screen children for reading difficulties and dyslexia, calling low literacy a significant public health issue. They warn that poor literacy can lead to problems like anxiety, low self-esteem, and behavioral challenges, which can have long-lasting effects.
Released on Wednesday, the recommendations target family doctors, pediatricians, nurses, and other healthcare providers who work with school-aged children. They stress that medical professionals are well-placed to help struggling readers by connecting them to educational and specialized support services. Identifying literacy issues early is crucial, as early intervention tends to be more effective and can also reveal other developmental or learning challenges.
The guidelines include 10 key recommendations, notably regular screening for children between the ages of four and seven. The society emphasizes that certain groups, including newcomers to Canada, racialized children, and Indigenous youth, are at higher risk of low literacy and should be prioritized. These screenings, which can be done in a quick two-to-three-minute assessment during regular checkups, aim to catch early signs of difficulty.
Additional recommendations encourage doctors to watch for related conditions, such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), that are often seen in children struggling with reading. The society also calls for better collaboration between healthcare providers and schools to support families seeking help and urges education authorities to incorporate phonics-based reading instruction into school curriculums, starting in kindergarten.
Dr. Scott McLeod, one of the authors and chair of the society’s mental health and developmental disabilities committee, highlighted the importance of closing gaps in care and ensuring that families have access to timely support. He emphasized that literacy is not just an educational issue but a health concern, given its impact on overall well-being. McLeod hopes the new guidance will foster greater collaboration between healthcare providers, teachers, and other specialists involved in a child’s development.
While pediatricians already use tools like the Rourke Baby Record to assess developmental milestones, McLeod suggests that asking about reading should become a regular part of checkups. He hopes the new guidelines will empower doctors to be stronger advocates for their patients and help streamline access to necessary interventions.
The guidance also touches on the challenges families face when waiting for specialist referrals for conditions like ADHD, which often coexist with reading difficulties. McLeod pointed out that evidence-based reading instruction should not be delayed by the wait for specialized assessments, urging early intervention even without a formal diagnosis.
This push for action was partly inspired by Ontario's "Right to Read Inquiry Report" from 2022, which addressed gaps in reading instruction. McLeod hopes the guidelines will remind educators, doctors, and families of the crucial role literacy plays in a child's future.
