{"h1":"Signs of communication delay in an 18-to-24-month-old","faq":[{"a":"Many toddlers say around 10–25 words by 18 months and edge towards 50 words — beginning to join two words together — by 24 months. Wide variation is normal, so it's the overall pattern of growing words, pointing and understanding that matters most, not a single number.","q":"How many words should an 18-to-24-month-old be saying?"},{"a":"Strong understanding is a reassuring sign. Some toddlers are 'late talkers' who catch up beautifully. Still, if expressive words aren't growing over months, a friendly developmental check is wise so any support can start early while it works best.","q":"My toddler understands everything but barely talks — should I worry?"},{"a":"Pointing — to show you things and to ask for them — usually emerges well before 18 months and is an important early communication milestone. If your toddler isn't pointing or using other gestures by this age, it's worth a calm clinician's review, not alarm.","q":"Is not pointing a sign of communication delay?"}],"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-the-signs-of-communication-delay-in-a-18-to-24-month-old","title":"Signs of communication delay in an 18-to-24-month-old","entity":{"key":"toddler-18-24","kind":"age_band","name":"18-to-24-month-old","slug":null},"lenses":[{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Parent","value":"parent"},{"kind":"age","label":"Toddler-18-24","value":"toddler-18-24"},{"kind":"domain","label":"Communication","value":"communication"},{"kind":"intent","label":"Concern","value":"concern"},{"kind":"lifecycle","label":"Screen","value":"screen"},{"kind":"route","label":"Speech-Therapy","value":"speech-therapy"},{"kind":"empowerment","label":"Early Clarity","value":"early_clarity"}],"parent":{"key":"ages","label":"Ages & Stages"},"related":[{"lang":"en","slug":"is-it-normal-that-my-toddler-is-not-yet-showing-communication","title":"Is it normal that my toddler is not yet showing communication?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-my-18-to-24-month-old-developing-normally-in-communication","title":"18–24 Month Communication Development"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-developmental-red-flags-should-i-watch-for-in-a-18-to-24-month-old","title":"Developmental red flags in an 18-to-24-month-old"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-the-signs-of-communication-delay-in-a-12-to-18-month-old","title":"Signs of communication delay in a 12-to-18-month-old"},{"lang":"en","slug":"when-should-i-worry-that-my-18-to-24-month-old-might-have-non-verbal-minimally-verbal-presentation","title":"When should I worry about few words at 18–24 months?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-the-signs-of-communication-delay-in-a-2-year-old","title":"Signs of communication delay in a 2-year-old"}],"summary":"By 18–24 months most toddlers use a growing set of words, point and gesture, respond to their name and follow simple requests. Seek a developmental check if your child has very few or no words, doesn't point or gesture, doesn't respond to their name, doesn't follow simple instructions, or loses words once had. These are reasons to assess early — not a diagnosis — because early communication support works best now.","answer_md":"*By two, most toddlers are bubbling with words, gestures and pointing — and noticing what your little one is and isn't doing yet is exactly the right, loving thing to do.*\n\n## In short\nBy 18–24 months, most toddlers say a growing handful of words (often 10–25 by 18 months, edging towards 50 and starting to join two words by 24 months), point to show you things, follow simple instructions and copy sounds. Gentle signs worth a developmental check include **very few or no words, not pointing or gesturing, not responding to their name, not following simple requests, or losing words they once had**. None of this is a diagnosis — it simply means a clinician's calm look is wise now, because early communication support works beautifully at this age.\n\n## What to watch at 18–24 months\nLanguage blooms at different speeds, and a quiet toddler is not automatically a worried one. But these flags deserve a clinician's friendly eye:\n\n- **Very few or no spoken words** — far fewer than the small handful most are using, or not adding new words over months.\n- **Little or no pointing or gesturing** — not pointing to ask, to show, or waving, clapping and reaching to communicate.\n- **Not responding to their name** or to simple, familiar requests like \"give me the ball\" without your gesture helping.\n- **Not copying** — sounds, words, simple actions or play.\n- **Little back-and-forth** — limited eye contact, shared smiling or taking turns in babble-chat.\n- **Loss of skills** — words, babble or gestures your child once had now fading. This always deserves prompt review.\n\nThe aim isn't alarm — it's turning small everyday questions into early opportunities.\n\n## When to act\nIf your toddler is using very few words, isn't pointing or gesturing, isn't responding to their name, or has lost any communication skills, arrange a developmental check now rather than adopting a wait-and-see approach. What you notice in daily play is valuable clinical information — trust it.\n\n## The Pinnacle way\nA clinical [AbilityScore®](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated) and any diagnosis are formed only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care — never from an online list. Our clinicians watch how your child connects, gestures and plays, then shape support around joyful, everyday moments. You can explore how our [speech therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) team builds early words and how a [developmental assessment](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/enroll-autism-speech-aba-therapies-india) gives you a clear, kind picture.\n\n## Trusted sources\nCDC \"Learn the Signs, Act Early\" developmental milestones for 18 and 24 months; American Academy of Pediatrics (healthychildren.org) guidance on early language and developmental monitoring; ASHA resources on toddler communication development.\n\n**Next step —** Trust what you've noticed. [Book a developmental assessment](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/enroll-autism-speech-aba-therapies-india) with a Pinnacle clinician for a warm, clear review of your toddler's communication and milestones.\n\nThis is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","canonical":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-are-the-signs-of-communication-delay-in-a-18-to-24-month-old","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/what-are-the-signs-of-communication-delay-in-a-18-to-24-month-old","lang":"en","indexable":true}],"dimensions":[{"key":"ages","label":"Ages & Stages"}],"meta_title":"Communication Delay Signs: 18–24 Months","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Keep a short phone note of the words and gestures you hear and see this week — counting them and noting whether new ones are appearing gives a clinician a clear, useful picture.","published_at":"2026-06-10T11:36:00.209871+00:00","reading_paths":[{"key":"signs","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-the-signs-of-communication-delay-in-a-12-to-18-month-old","title":"Signs of communication delay in a 12-to-18-month-old","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-my-18-to-24-month-old-developing-normally-in-communication","title":"18–24 Month Communication Development","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-are-the-signs-of-communication-delay-in-a-2-year-old","title":"Signs of communication delay in a 2-year-old","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-developmental-red-flags-should-i-watch-for-in-a-18-to-24-month-old","title":"Developmental red flags in an 18-to-24-month-old","reason":"Linked from this 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actions, shows little back-and-forth or eye contact, or has lost words or gestures once had. Loss of skills always warrants prompt review.","authority_links":[{"url":"https://www.cdc.gov/child-development","label":"CDC Learn the Signs, Act Early — developmental milestones"},{"url":"https://www.healthychildren.org","label":"AAP HealthyChildren — early language development"},{"url":"https://www.asha.org","label":"ASHA — toddler communication development"}],"last_reviewed_at":"2026-06-10T11:36:00.209871+00:00","meta_description":"Gentle, parent-friendly signs of communication delay in 18-to-24-month-olds — what's typical, what to watch, and when a calm developmental check is wise.","related_materials":[],"related_techniques":[]}