The more toddlers are exposed to complex and rich conversation, the better cognitive and language skills they develop in later childhood, finds a study in Pediatrics. Researchers used computer software to analyze six months of recordings from the homes of 146 infants and toddlers, ages 2 to 36 months. They found that the number of “conversational turns”–back-and-forth discussions between parent and child–that children experienced at ages 18 to 24 months accounted for 14 to 27 percent of the variance in the children’s IQ, verbal comprehension and vocabulary scores 10 years later even after controlling for socioeconomic status. (Monitor on Psychology)

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