Psychologists have long known that depressed parents interact with and talk to their children less, which can slow the development of communication skills. Research has shown that maternal depression also adversely affects toddlers' IQs. The National Institute of Child Health and Human Development's News Alert (September 1999) warns that children of depressed mothers perform more poorly on a range of intellectual measures, including school readiness and communication skills. Depressed parents should definitely see a therapist!