Dr. Lisa Belisle

Books as Companions: Easing the Woes of the World

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH
Originally published November 2008, Parent & Family

My 7-year-old has discovered that recess can be intimidating. This year she is in a larger school, where the second grade students share the playground with third and fourth grade students. As might be expected, the older kids aren’t always interested in playing with the younger ones. Sophie feels hurt by this at times.

Emotional Emergency Packs: Resilience & Reading

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH, Medical Advisor, Raising Readers 

Originally published Fall 2008, Raising Readers Issue Brief 

Scaredy the Squirrel was afraid to leave his tree: 

The unknown can be a scary place for a squirrel….In Scaredy Squirrel’s nut tree, every day is the same. Everything is predictable. All is under control. 

—Melanie Watt, Scaredy Squirrel (See Raising Readers Recommends, below.) 

Being cautious is a natural response to a sometimes overwhelming world. Once we figure out where we are comfortable, we tend to stay there--just like Scaredy Squirrel, hunkered down in his nut tree. 

Story Seeking, Story Sharing: The Privilege of Being a Pediatric Provider

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH, Medical Advisor, Raising Readers 

Originally published Spring 2008, Raising Readers Issue Brief 

Most of us became pediatric providers because we love having little ones in our lives. We love to care for them, watch them grow and help them heal. We love to listen to their stories, and the stories of their families. 

We listen to their words with our ears; to their bodies with our hands. We go beyond each set of symptoms, and reach for the ‘why?’ Why is this person here? What is her story? Writer Christina Baldwin has suggested that people would do well to live as ‘story catchers,’ and be open to receiving the stories sent forth by others.¹ As healers, we must go one step further: we must be ‘story seekers.’ 

Reading to the Candy Guy

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH 
Originally published November 2007, Parent & Family 

Last weekend my 11-year-old handed me Sand Dollar Summer by Kimberly Jones, saying, “You have to read this, Mom. It’s about a girl who lives in Maine for the summer. It’s so good—it even made my teacher cry.” To Abby’s credit, I did enjoy the well-written hardcover. What I enjoyed even more, however, was that I had gotten a literary recommendation from my child. This sweet interaction had been years in the making: beginning the first time I propped Abby in my lap to read her a Sandra Boynton board book. 

Mental Gymnastics

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH
Originally published October 7, 2007, Maine Sunday Telegram

My sisters and I spent hours on the family swing-set when we were small. We would belt out “Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star” and “Alouette” as we tried to touch the clouds with our feet. Little did we know how important these childhood pursuits might prove to be. According to Dr. Stuart Brown, Director of the National Institute for Play, when we play, we discover how to live within the constructs of our society. We learn how to share the swings, and take turns giving each other pushes. We learn how to sing together. When we play, we practice social, emotional, physical and mental skills that help us get along with others (and ourselves).

Lost in Translation: Culture, Literacy & Health

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH
Originally published October 4, 2007, The Maine Switch

I have a friend who wants to be a writer. He is a thoughtful, well educated physician who has practiced medicine for many years. Yet he hesitates to commit his thoughts to paper because English is his second language (he was born and raised in Argentina). My friend worries that when he finally shares his story something will be ‘lost in translation.’

Raising Readers: Celebrating Books and Children

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH, Medical Advisor, Raising Readers
Originally published September 2007, Raising Readers Issue Brief 

Sophie still talks about visiting the Blaine House for the first official Raising Readers Graduation. My outgoing daughter was entertained by the ‘drawing guy’ (Maine illustrator and author Scott Nash), and enjoyed meeting Mrs. Baldacci. Sophie recalls many specific details about this event, which is impressive given that it happened more than two years ago. This, and the fact that first-grader Sophie still regularly asks to be read the ‘Raising Readers’ books she received from her doctor (Portland family physician Ann Skelton), tell me that she received our program’s message loud and clear. The message? Books are special, and children are important—and both are worthy of celebration. 

Championing School Readiness

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH, Medical Advisor, Raising Readers 
Originally printed August 2006, Raising Readers Issue Brief 

The summer is beginning its slow fade into autumn, and a new group of children are anticipating their entrance into formalized education. Yes, the kindergartners are starting school. As pediatric providers, we see many of these five-year-olds when their parents present them for their requisite vaccinations. Our influence can extend beyond immunizations, however. We have the potential to be true champions of school readiness. 

The Peek-a-Boo Principle: Building Baby’s Brain

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH 
Originally published July 2006, Parent & Family 

Raising Readers is in its sixth year of providing books to children from birth to age five through hospitals and medical offices. One of the books provided is the classic ‘lift-the-flap.’ Read on to find out how this special type of book (and the related game of peek-a-boo) can be an important part of your little one’s brain growth… 

Wowing your Patients with (Pictures and) Words: Choosing a Waiting Room Collection

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH, Medical Advisor, Raising Readers  
Originally published November 2005, Raising Readers Issue Brief

Is your waiting room kid-friendly? If not, children’s books are the answer. There is no better way to wow your patients than through the power of (pictures and) words. In honor of both National Family Literacy Day (November 1) and National Children’s Book Week (November 14–20, 2005), we’ve put together a few suggestions for creating the ideal waiting room collection. According to book aficionado Kirsten Cappy, a Raising Readers consultant and owner of online book service Curious City (www.curiouscity.net), waiting room collections should be “a mixture of fun and distraction.” When selecting titles, it is important to: