Volunteers read to Baptist Health NICU babies as part of read-a-thon

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Volunteers, nurses and parents are reading to babies in the Baptist Health NICU as part of the Babies with Books Read-a-Thon.

The 10-day event kicked off Sept. 11., part of an international effort to give parents and other caregivers books and encourage them to read with babies in the NICU.

Doctors said it promotes early brain development and family bonding.

"We see infants increase arousal and alertness and turn their head to a parent's voice when they're speaking on the side of the infant's bed, so it promotes that bonding and it promotes brain connections that helps with language and language development from an early point in their life," said Tara Mason, an occupational therapist for Baptist Health Louisville.

More than 200 hospitals worldwide are taking part in the event, which is set to end Thursday.