Adult-child conversations linked to healthy development

Frequent adult-child conversations are a reliable way to nurture healthy development in young children, suggests a recent study published in Pediatrics.

According to Dr. Fred Zimmerman, lead author of the study, the amount of language input a child receives before age 3 is “significantly and strongly associated with subsequent language acquisition.” And he is quick to point out that it’s never too early for a parent to begin conversing with their child.

Even babies enjoy interacting with their parents.

“Parents should begin language input on day one, and most parents intuitively do,” he says. “All that cooing is fun for the parent, fun for the baby, and helps the baby understand how to make sounds and how to engage in the back-and-forth turn-taking of language.”

How to start a conversation with your child 

For parents with toddlers, Dr. Zimmerman recommends they ask their child a variety of questions throughout the day, even silly ones such as “Can an elephant jump? Why not?” Or, “What is your doll's favourite colour?"  

“It's all about the journey, not the destination. Talking, much more than listening, gives your child valuable practice in using language," he explains. “It will also give you opportunities to gently correct your child. For example, if she says, ‘My pants is blue,’ you can say, ‘Since your pants are blue, should we find a white shirt to go with them?’ With enough of this back-and-forth your child will quickly learn a large number of words and complex grammar.”

Dr. Zimmerman suggests reading or storytelling, punctuated by questions and exchanges, as other effective ways to elicit talk from your child.

“Many parents, including myself, have found that a bedtime ritual of reading every night helps to calm the child before bedtime. Reading becomes quietly interactive if the parent asks the child about what she sees in the book, or about how different parts of the book relate to each other.”

Finally, in addition to being an essential component of language acquisition and healthy cognitive development, adult-child conversations are an excellent way to strengthen the bond between you and your child and gain insight into a curious and maturing mind, adds Dr. Zimmerman.

“Get the little tyke talking. Talk just for the fun of talking​, and listen for the delight of what your child will say next.”

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​Joel Tiller

Writer/Editor

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