# At What Age Should a Child Be Non-Verbal?

Canonical: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/at-what-age-should-a-child-non-verbal
Publisher: Pinnacle Blooms Network / Bharath Healthcare Laboratories Private Limited

Being non-verbal is a description, not a milestone. Most toddlers say first words around 12 months, two-word phrases by 24 months. Seek a developmental and hearing check if there are no words by 16 months, no gestures by 12 months, or no two-word phrases by 24 months.

*The word "non-verbal" can frighten a parent — but in the toddler years, words arrive on a wide and forgiving timeline, and communication begins long before speech.*

## In short
There is no single age at which a child "should" be non-verbal — being [non-verbal](/non-verbal) is not a milestone, it is a description we use when expected talking has not yet emerged. Most toddlers say their first words around **12 months**, around **50 words and two-word phrases by 24 months**, and short sentences by **3 years**. If a child is not babbling or gesturing by 12 months, has no single words by 16 months, or no two-word phrases by 24 months, that is the right moment for a gentle developmental check — not panic.

## The science of early communication
Long before speech, babies communicate. Watch for **pre-verbal building blocks**: eye contact, sharing a smile, responding to their name, pointing to show you something, copying sounds and gestures, and understanding simple words. These predict spoken language strongly. A toddler who understands well and gestures richly but speaks little has a very different picture from one who neither understands nor gestures — which is why a clinician looks at the whole communication profile, not word count alone.

Tools like the MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories help map both words a child *understands* and words they *use*. Always check hearing first — fluctuating ear infections are a common, fixable reason words are slow to come.

## When to seek a check
Book a developmental and hearing check if, by **18–24 months**, your child has few or no words, doesn't point or gesture to share, doesn't respond to their name, or seems to lose skills they once had. Early support works best when started early — and most children make wonderful gains.

## The Pinnacle way
Developmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional., under qualified clinician care — never from an online read or a single worry. Our [speech therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) teams build on a child's existing strengths, and you can learn how we measure progress at [what is the AbilityScore](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated). With 25 million+ therapy sessions and 4.95 lakh+ families served across 70+ centres, you are not walking this alone.

## Trusted sources
Guided by WHO ICD-11 and CDC "Learn the Signs. Act Early." communication milestones, ASHA early-language guidance, and the American Academy of Pediatrics.

**Next step —** if your toddler isn't yet using words you expected, message our team on WhatsApp at +91 91001 81181 for a warm, no-pressure developmental check.

This is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.

## Sources
- CDC Learn the Signs. Act Early. — communication milestones: https://www.cdc.gov/child-development
- ASHA — how speech and language develop: https://www.asha.org/public/speech/development/
- WHO ICD-11: https://icd.who.int/

## Connected topics and perspectives
- Skills: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/skills
- Parent / Family: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/parent
- Toddler: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/age/toddler
- Communication: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/domain/communication
- Milestone: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/intent/milestone
- Screen: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/lifecycle/screen
- Book Assessment: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/route/book-assessment
- Early Clarity: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/empowerment/early_clarity
- Non-Verbal: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/ability/non-verbal
- MacArthur–Bates Communicative Development Inventories: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/assessment/cdi
- English: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/language/en
- SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/sdg/3
- non verbal: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/skill/non-verbal
- ASHA / PHC / Frontline: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/asha_phc
- Therapist / Clinician: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/therapist

## Related question paths

### Recognise signs & concerns
- When Do Children Usually Start Talking?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/when-do-children-usually-non-verbal
- When Do Children Usually Start Verbal Communication?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/when-do-children-usually-verbal-communication
- When Do Toddlers Start Talking?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/at-what-age-should-a-child-verbal-communication
- What does a delay in Non-Verbal mean for my child?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-a-delay-in-non-verbal-mean-for-my-child
- What signs suggest my child may need support with non verbal?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-signs-suggest-my-child-may-need-support-with-non-verbal
- Could difficulty with non-verbal skills be a sign of developmental delay?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/could-difficulty-with-non-verbal-be-a-sign-of-a-developmental-delay
- Is it normal that my toddler is not yet showing non-verbal communication?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/is-it-normal-that-my-toddler-is-not-yet-showing-non-verbal
- What does it mean if my child is not yet showing nonverbal communication?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-does-it-mean-if-my-child-is-not-yet-showing-non-verbal
- What to do if a child in your care is not yet talking: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/as-a-caregiver-what-should-i-do-if-a-child-in-my-care-is-not-yet-showing-non-verbal
- By what age is a child non-verbal, and what should a teacher expect?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/by-what-age-is-a-child-usually-expected-to-non-verbal-and-what-should-a-teacher-expect-in-class
- Observing a non-verbal child on a home visit: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/during-a-home-visit-what-should-a-frontline-worker-observe-about-a-child-learning-to-non-verbal
- When should a frontline worker escalate a non-verbal child?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/if-a-child-cannot-non-verbal-at-the-expected-age-when-should-a-frontline-health-worker-escalate

### Understand assessment
- What does the amber zone for non-verbal skills mean?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-amber-zone-for-non-verbal-what-does-that-mean
- My child is in the green zone for Non-Verbal — what does that mean?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-green-zone-for-non-verbal-what-does-that-mean
- Red zone for non-verbal — what it means: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-red-zone-for-non-verbal-what-does-that-mean
- How a clinician assesses and tracks non-verbal communication progress: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-a-clinician-assess-and-track-a-child-s-progress-in-learning-to-non-verbal

### Explore therapy & support
- How can a teacher support a child working on non verbal?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-a-teacher-support-a-child-working-on-non-verbal
- What therapy helps a child learn to communicate when non-verbal?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-therapy-helps-a-child-learn-to-non-verbal
- Amber Zone for Non-Verbal — What To Do Next: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-amber-zone-for-non-verbal-what-should-we-do-next
- Green Zone for Non-Verbal — What Should We Do Next?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-green-zone-for-non-verbal-what-should-we-do-next
- Red Zone for Non-Verbal — What To Do Next: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-child-is-in-the-red-zone-for-non-verbal-what-should-we-do-next
- Techniques to help a non-verbal child communicate: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/as-a-therapist-what-techniques-help-a-child-develop-the-ability-to-non-verbal
- How can a teacher support a non-verbal student?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-a-teacher-support-a-student-who-is-still-learning-to-non-verbal
- Prioritising amber-zone non-verbal communication: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-should-a-therapist-prioritise-a-child-who-is-in-the-amber-zone-for-non-verbal
- How should a therapist prioritise a child who is in the green zone for Non-Verbal?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-should-a-therapist-prioritise-a-child-who-is-in-the-green-zone-for-non-verbal
- How should a therapist prioritise a child in the red zone for non-verbal?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-should-a-therapist-prioritise-a-child-who-is-in-the-red-zone-for-non-verbal

### At home & in everyday life
- How can I help my non-verbal toddler communicate at home?: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/how-can-i-help-my-child-with-learn-to-non-verbal-at-home
- An Everyday Therapy activity for a non-verbal toddler: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-is-one-everyday-therapy-activity-to-help-my-child-with-non-verbal
- Helping a Non-Verbal Child Communicate Every Day: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/as-a-caregiver-how-can-i-gently-help-a-child-practise-learning-to-non-verbal-during-everyday-routines