{"h1":"My 18-month-old doesn't point — should I worry?","faq":[{"a":"Not pointing can be one of several early communication signals clinicians consider, but on its own it is not a diagnosis of autism. Many children who are slow to point catch up, while others simply benefit from earlier support. The useful step is a general developmental check that looks at the whole picture of how your child connects and communicates.","q":"Is not pointing at 18 months a sign of autism?"},{"a":"Reaching to get something (a request) is a little different from pointing to share interest with you. Both are forms of communication and both are good signs your child wants to connect. If clear pointing — especially pointing just to share — hasn't appeared by around 18 months, it's worth a gentle check.","q":"My child reaches and grabs but doesn't point — does that count?"},{"a":"Point at things often and name them with enthusiasm, then pause to let your child look and respond. Offer choices by holding up two items, and place favourite toys just out of reach so gesturing becomes useful. Lots of shared, playful back-and-forth helps pointing emerge naturally.","q":"What can I do at home to encourage pointing?"},{"a":"If by 18 months your child is not pointing and you also notice limited eye contact, few gestures, not responding to their name, or very few sounds and words, arrange a developmental check soon. Early is always on your side, and a clinician can give clear answers and a plan if one is needed.","q":"When should I definitely get my child assessed?"}],"lang":"en","slug":"my-18-month-old-does-not-point-at-things-should-i-be-worried","title":"Not Pointing at 18 Months","entity":{"key":"no-pointing-18m","kind":"age_concern","name":"not pointing at 18m","slug":"no-pointing-18m"},"lenses":[{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Parent","value":"parent"},{"kind":"age","label":"18m","value":"18m"},{"kind":"domain","label":"Social","value":"social"},{"kind":"intent","label":"Concern","value":"concern"},{"kind":"empowerment","label":"Early Clarity","value":"early_clarity"}],"parent":null,"related":[{"lang":"en","slug":"my-2-5-year-old-does-not-point-at-things-should-i-be-worried","title":"My 2.5-Year-Old Doesn't Point — Should I Worry?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"when-should-i-worry-about-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-my-child","title":"When should I worry about not pointing to show things?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"should-i-worry-about-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-a-1-year-old","title":"Should I worry about not pointing to show things in a 1-year-old?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-15-month-old-does-not-point-at-things-should-i-be-worried","title":"Not Pointing at 15 Months"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-doesn-t-point-at-things-should-i-be-worried","title":"My child doesn't point at things — should I be worried?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-should-i-do-if-my-child-doesn-t-point-at-things","title":"What should I do if my child doesn't point at things?"}],"summary":"Pointing — especially to share — is a milestone we watch around 18 months, so a gentle check is sensible if it isn't happening yet. But missing pointing alone is not a diagnosis; many children catch up, and early checking simply means support can start sooner. Only a Pinnacle clinician can establish a clinical picture.","answer_md":"*When the other toddlers seem to be pointing at everything and yours isn't yet, it's natural to wonder — and asking the question is a caring, sensible first step.*\n\n## In short\nPointing — especially pointing just to *share* something interesting, like a dog or an aeroplane — is one of the meaningful communication milestones we look for around **18 months**. If your child isn't pointing yet, it's worth a gentle check, but it is **not** by itself a diagnosis of anything. Many children who are a little behind on pointing catch up beautifully, while for others an early look simply means support can start sooner. Worry is a good reason to check — it is not a verdict.\n\n## What to look at, gently\nBy around 18 months, alongside pointing, it helps to notice the *whole picture* of how your child connects and communicates:\n\n- **Sharing attention** — does your child look back at you to share a moment (a smile, a glance) when something exciting happens?\n- **Following your point** — when you point at something, does your child look where you're pointing?\n- **Other ways of communicating** — gestures like waving, reaching, showing you things, or making sounds and a few words.\n- **Responding to their name** and enjoying simple to-and-fro play like peek-a-boo.\n\nA child who shares looks, follows your point and communicates warmly in other ways — even without a clear point yet — is often simply on their own timeline. A pattern where several of these are missing together is the more useful signal to act on.\n\n## When to check\nBecause pointing is a milestone we watch closely at this age, 18 months is exactly the right time for a [general developmental check](/no-pointing-18m) if you're unsure — not to label anything, but to get clear, reassuring information and a plan if one is needed. Early is always on your side.\n\n## The Pinnacle way\nAny clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed **only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, by qualified clinicians** — never from an online form, an app, or a single milestone. A structured, clinician-administered check looks at the full picture of how your child communicates and connects, so you get clarity rather than worry. Explore how [speech and communication therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) supports early gesture and language, and learn [what the AbilityScore® is and how it's established](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated).\n\n## Trusted sources\nUS CDC \"Learn the Signs. Act Early.\" milestone guidance highlights gesturing and pointing in the second year; the American Academy of Pediatrics (via HealthyChildren.org) describes shared attention and pointing as early communication milestones around 18 months.\n\n**Next step —** Not sure if your child is on track? [Book a developmental check with a Pinnacle clinician](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) for clear, kind answers.\n\nThis is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","canonical":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-18-month-old-does-not-point-at-things-should-i-be-worried","editorial":{"reviewed_at":"2026-06-11T20:12:18.613642+00:00","reviewed_by":null,"developed_by":"SETU Consortium · Pinnacle Blooms Network"},"alternates":[{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-18-month-old-does-not-point-at-things-should-i-be-worried","lang":"en","indexable":true},{"href":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/my-18-month-old-does-not-point-at-things-should-i-be-worried-te","lang":"te","indexable":true}],"dimensions":[],"meta_title":"No Pointing at 18 Months — Should I Worry?","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Narrate and point all day — \"Look, a dog!\" with an exaggerated point — and pause for your child to look and respond. Place a favourite toy just out of reach so reaching and gesturing become useful and rewarding.","published_at":"2026-06-11T06:40:00.1227+00:00","reading_paths":[{"key":"signs","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"should-i-worry-about-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-a-1-year-old","title":"Should I worry about not pointing to show things in a 1-year-old?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-15-month-old-does-not-point-at-things-should-i-be-worried","title":"Not Pointing at 15 Months","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"when-should-i-worry-about-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-my-child","title":"When should I worry about not pointing to show things?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-2-5-year-old-does-not-point-at-things-should-i-be-worried","title":"My 2.5-Year-Old Doesn't Point — Should I Worry?","reason":"Linked from this answer"}],"label":"Recognise signs & concerns","total":4},{"key":"therapy","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-doesn-t-point-at-things-should-i-be-worried","title":"My child doesn't point at things — should I be worried?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-should-i-do-if-my-child-doesn-t-point-at-things","title":"What should I do if my child doesn't point at things?","reason":"Linked from this answer"}],"label":"Explore therapy & support","total":2}],"what_to_watch":"Whether your child shares looks with you, follows your point, uses other gestures like waving or reaching, responds to their name, and enjoys to-and-fro play like peek-a-boo.","authority_links":[{"url":"https://www.cdc.gov/child-development","label":"CDC — Milestones at 18 Months"},{"url":"https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/toddler/Pages/default.aspx","label":"AAP HealthyChildren — Toddler Milestones"}],"last_reviewed_at":"2026-06-11T06:40:00.1227+00:00","meta_description":"Not pointing at 18 months is worth a gentle check, not a diagnosis. Learn what to watch, when to act, and how Pinnacle can help your child communicate.","related_materials":[],"related_techniques":[]}