Brandon Hospital's NICU supports National Reading Month

At HCA Florida Brandon Hospital, nurses in our Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) read to babies born as young as 22 weeks. They encourage parents and siblings to read to their youngest additions to their family as well. With March being National Reading Month, it’s a time to highlight the benefits of reading to all ages, including the very young. 

“Families in Brandon Hospital’s NICU can select a book from Pippa’s library and read it to their child. Hearing the voice of a loved one reading helps a baby’s brain develop. It has a calming and comforting influence on babies in the NICU and is a wonderful way for families to connect with their little one when they may not be able to hold their child yet,” said Dr. Kiran Dwarakanath, neonatologist and medical director at HCA Florida Brandon Hospital. 

Savannah Salgado, a registered nurse for the Brandon Hospital NICU, read to Aliyah Vassell a few weeks after her birth at 26 weeks old. Aliyah was born on September 4, 2024 and was just over one pound. Her mother says Aliyah was so tiny, she could fit in the palm of her hand at birth. 

Aliyah was on a jet ventilator, a mode of mechanical ventilation used to support very sick newborns, particularly with severe respiratory distress. Her lungs were not fully developed and needed assistance. Loved ones were not yet able to hold little Aliyah, but reading was a way to connect. 

Aliyah’s parents and her brothers, Austen and Avery, also read to Aliyah, sharing stories with the newest member of their family. Austen, the Vassell’s middle child, was also born premature and stayed in the NICU for 118 days. In February, Aliyah went home after 153 days in the Brandon Hospital NICU herself. Her parents were excited to have Aliyah join her two older brothers at home. 

“Reading to my micro preemies, Austen (born at 25 weeks) and Aliyah (born at 26 weeks), helped create a sense of normalcy in the NICU and strengthened our bond. Even though they were tiny, I knew they could hear, see and feel just like a full-term baby, so I treated story time as a way to comfort and connect with them. No matter how small, every baby deserves to be spoken to, sung to and read to—because love and connection start early,” said Amber Vassell, Aliyah, Austen and Avery’s mother. 

This March, and every month, the NICU team will be encouraging families, colleagues and volunteers to read to Brandon Hospital’s youngest patients. Later this year, the entire hospital will again compete in a worldwide NICU read-a-thon. Brandon Hospital is consistently recognized in the top-tier of NICUs for emphasis on reading, finishing in the top ten in the world.