Dr. Lisa Belisle

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.’ 

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. 

Fear, Learning & Loved Ones

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH
Medical Advisor, Raising Readers
Raising Readers Issue Brief, Spring 2007

“THWACK!!” Without warning, the neurology professor cracked a yardstick on the podium. I (along with the majority of the medical students in class with me) jumped in my seat, startled out of my lecture-induced reverie. The professor made his point—that fear and learning are intricately connected in the mammalian brain. Years later I still recall the vivid demonstration of this fact.

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. 

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: 

Let Food Be Your Medicine: Tips for Feeding the Family

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

Summer 2005, Raising Readers Issue Brief 

For most Maine families, the summer means time spent outside. My family is no different.With a baseball player, a softball player and softball coach in our household, many a June evening finds us at the local fields. While we always try to eat before we go, the snack bar often proves especially tempting for the children at dinnertime. Fortunately, along with the requisite hotdogs and ice cream sandwiches, our Little League also makes sure to stock green apples and bottled water. Ever mindful of their budding bodies, I make every effort to cajole the kids into choosing the latter over the former. This may mean that I have to agree to the occasional ‘sweet treat,’ but at least they are getting a consistent message about healthy choices. 

New Baby Blues: The Big Sib

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

Sophie was almost three when she lost her ‘youngest grandchild’ status. She did not take this well. When baby Eli was around, her behavior regressed. She was whiny and demanding, and took to sucking her thumb. She also became aggressive. Failing to see why her grandmother needed to hold this interloper, Sophie occasionally attempted to dislodge Elijah physically from Memere’s lap. Although Sophie and Eli were cousins, she exhibited classic sibling-like behavior. She felt displaced and jealous, and had no interest in sharing anything with the new baby: not her toys, and certainly not her grandmother’s lap. 

Holiday Traditions

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH, Medical Advisor, Raising Readers  
Originally published December 2004, Raising Readers Issue Brief

The holidays are a time to reflect on our place on this earth. They are a time to give thanks for our blessings, and show others our love. While Thanksgiving and Christmas are a perfect medium for this type of reflection, so are Diwali, ’Eid-ul-Fitr and O-misoka. These are holidays from India, the nation of Islam and Japan. This season is celebrated by people of virtually every culture. As a pediatric provider, you have the unique opportunity to interact with children of diverse backgrounds. Use this opportunity wisely and you may learn more about places beyond your dooryard. You may also improve your ability to care for your patients. 

Father Figures

By Lisa M. Belisle, MD, MPH, Medical Advisor, Raising Readers 
Originally published Summer 2004, Raising Readers Issue Brief

Hilary Clinton wasn’t the first person to claim that “it takes a village to raise a child.” Experts have long realized that children benefit from having as many positive influences as possible in their lives. One of the most important predictors of a child’s future behavior is her relationship with her early caregivers (see March 2004 Raising Readers Issue Brief “Who Loves You, Baby?”).While we often think of these caregivers as being women, and more specifically mothers, studies show that fathers have an important role to play in a child’s development.