Talk and listen to your toddler

Written by Sting (he credits his infant son at the time with the lyrics: “I’ve never paid him, so that’s another possible lawsuit”), “De Do Do Do, De Da Da Da (Is all I want to say to you)” actually might be expressive enough to raise a child’s IQ by an average of 14 to 27 percent. That’s according to a recent study published in Pediatrics, the journal of the American Academy of Pediatrics.

The point that the researchers were making is that toddlers between 18 and 24 months of age who take more turns speaking in a back-and-forth dialogue with adults, even though they may not be using real words, develop higher “expressive vocabulary scores nine to 14 years later.” That’s impressive research. (The researchers looked at three age groups: 2 to 17 months; 18 to 24 months; and over 25 months.)

So when you’re with your child (they did not make a distinction between boys and girls), put down the cellphone — and take it out of your child’s hands, too! — and have a ton of discussions with your little one, especially during this very powerful developmental stage in his or her life.

Remember, we told you a few weeks ago that when a second-grade teacher asked students which modern gizmo they wished had never been created, nearly 25 percent said they hated their mom’s cellphone and wished it didn’t exist. So, talk with your toddlers and see what they have to say. Just Do, Do, Do.

Mehmet Oz, M.D. is host of “The Dr. Oz Show,” and Mike Roizen, M.D. is Chief Wellness Officer and Chair of Wellness Institute at Cleveland Clinic. To live your healthiest, tune into “The Dr. Oz Show” or visit www.sharecare.com.