Parents usually take their children to the doctor for relief from pain or sickness, but children in Belhaven may get a new kind of prescription — this one for reading.

Beaufort-Hyde Partnership for Children has expanded the Reach Out and Read program to two health clinics in Belhaven: Vidant Family Medicine’s Allen and Water streets locations.

Reach Out and Read is a nationwide program of medical providers who provide books to children ages 6 months to 5 years to encourage reading at home with parents.

According to a press release, the two Belhaven clinics will emphasize the importance of reading aloud with a child and provide age-appropriate books as part of a child’s checkup, as well as provide reading materials in the waiting area. The program focuses especially on low-income families, as they may not have the means to afford adequate reading material for their child.

“Encouraging parents to spark their children’s early language and brain development during regular pediatric checkups is a simple model that has a lasting, invaluable impact on the life of a child,” said Greg Jones, family physician at Vidant Family Medicine Belhaven on Water Street, in the press release. “Our staff sees this as a chance to make a difference in the lives of the families we serve.”

According to the release, the implementation of the program in Beaufort County is being funded by the national Race to the Top Early Learning Challenge grant, and the Partnership for Children has received donations of new or gently used books from local churches.

“We are looking forward to the chance to participate in this program,” said Mark Beamer, family physician at Vidant Family Medicine Belhaven on Allen Street, in the release.

Research has shown that children whose families participate in the program score about three to six months ahead in vocabulary in comparison to their peers, the release stated.

“Our local doctors and nurses in participating Reach Out and Read clinics know that the most important thing that parents can do to prepare their children to succeed in school and beyond is to read aloud to them every day,” said Lisa Woolard, executive director of the partnership, in the press release.

According to the program’s website, Reach Out and Read serves more than 5 million children each year and distributes 6.5 million books at its almost 5,000 sites annually.

“Reach Out and Read is an efficient and effective concept,” Woolard said.