Infants are seldom lauded as conversationalists, but the latest research says answering the coos and babbling pays off for them later in life. The findings of a recent long-term study, “Language Experience in the Second Year of Life and Language Outcomes in Late Childhood,” by LENA researchers confirms two-way interaction between adults and infants correlates with increased IQ, verbal comprehension, vocabulary and other language skills 10 years later.

The report marks the longest-term longitudinal study on the relationship between early childhood talk and later outcomes. The findings point to a practical takeaway for parents and early childhood teachers: talking with children is an easy, free way to support their development.