{"h1":"Behaviours That Often Occur With Not Pointing To Show Things","faq":[{"a":"No single behaviour confirms anything. Pointing to show develops at different times for different children, and on its own it is not a diagnosis. What matters is whether several social-communication behaviours appear together over time — which is exactly what a developmental check looks at.","q":"Is not pointing on its own a sign of autism?"},{"a":"Many children begin pointing to share interest around 12–15 months. If your child isn't pointing or showing things by around 18 months, alongside other clustered behaviours, a friendly developmental review is a sensible step.","q":"At what age should a child point to show things?"},{"a":"Pointing to request (\"I want that\") and pointing to share (\"look at this!\") are slightly different skills. Sharing-type pointing is part of joint attention. If your child requests but rarely shares, it's worth mentioning at a developmental check, as it can be one thread in a wider pattern.","q":"My child points to ask for things but not to share — does that matter?"},{"a":"Point at interesting things often, name them warmly, then look back at your child to share the moment. Follow their interests, celebrate every gesture, and keep exchanges playful. These small, repeated moments build the foundation for showing and pointing.","q":"What can I do at home to encourage sharing and pointing?"}],"lang":"en","slug":"what-other-behaviours-often-occur-with-not-pointing-to-show-things","title":"What other behaviours often occur with Not Pointing To Show Things?","entity":{"key":"no-pointing","kind":"phenomenon","name":"Not Pointing To Show Things","slug":null},"lenses":[{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Parent","value":"parent"},{"kind":"domain","label":"Communication","value":"communication"},{"kind":"intent","label":"Support","value":"support"},{"kind":"lifecycle","label":"Screen","value":"screen"},{"kind":"route","label":"Speech-Therapy","value":"speech-therapy"},{"kind":"empowerment","label":"Early Clarity","value":"early_clarity"}],"parent":{"key":"behaviours","label":"Behaviours"},"related":[{"lang":"en","slug":"can-not-pointing-to-show-things-be-a-sign-of-autism","title":"Can Not Pointing To Show Things Be a Sign of Autism?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-makes-not-pointing-to-show-things-worse-in-a-child","title":"What makes not pointing to show things worse in a child?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"can-not-pointing-to-show-things-be-an-early-sign-of-a-developmental-concern","title":"Can Not Pointing To Show Things Be an Early Sign of a Developmental Concern?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"do-children-usually-outgrow-not-pointing-to-show-things","title":"Do children usually outgrow not pointing to show things?"},{"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":"what-causes-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-young-children","title":"What causes not pointing to show things in young children?"}],"summary":"Not pointing to show things often clusters with other early social-communication behaviours — limited eye contact, not following a point, fewer showing and giving gestures, less waving or clapping, and reduced response to name. A cluster is more meaningful than any single sign and warrants a friendly developmental check. AbilityScore® is part of Pinnacle’s developmental assessment. Diagnosis, where needed, requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","answer_md":"*When a little one doesn't yet point to share a moment of delight, it's often part of a bigger picture of how they connect — and that picture is what gives us the clearest, kindest information.*\n\n## In short\nNot pointing to show things rarely travels alone. It tends to appear alongside other early social-communication behaviours — like limited eye contact, not following your point, not bringing you toys to share, or fewer back-and-forth gestures such as waving and reaching up to be lifted. Seeing a *cluster* of these together is far more meaningful than any single behaviour, and it's exactly the kind of pattern a developmental check is designed to understand. Most children who show one or two of these simply need a closer, caring look — not alarm.\n\n## Behaviours that often appear together\nPointing \"to show\" (called declarative pointing) is one thread in the wider fabric of **joint attention** — sharing focus on something with another person just for the joy of it. When it's slow to emerge, you may also notice:\n\n- **Not following another person's point or gaze** — when you point at the aeroplane, your child doesn't look where you're pointing.\n- **Limited eye contact** or not easily checking back to your face to share a reaction.\n- **Fewer showing and giving gestures** — not bringing or holding up a toy to share it with you.\n- **Reduced gesture vocabulary** — less waving \"bye-bye\", clapping, nodding, or reaching up to be picked up.\n- **Less response to their name** being called.\n- **Quieter back-and-forth babble** or fewer playful sound exchanges.\n- **Less pretend or imitation play** as they grow into the second year.\n\nThese behaviours share a common root — the early skills of connecting, sharing and communicating intent — which is why they often cluster. A cluster simply tells us where a child may welcome a little extra support, most often through play-based communication therapy.\n\n## When to seek a check\nGentle observation is the right first step. Around 16–18 months and again near 24 months are natural moments to review social communication. If, by around 18 months, your child shows several of the behaviours above together, a friendly developmental check is wise — not because something is wrong, but because early, playful support works beautifully when started warmly and on time.\n\n## The Pinnacle way\nThis is general information, not a diagnosis — a clinical AbilityScore® and any diagnosis are formed **only at a Pinnacle Blooms Network centre, under qualified clinician care**. Our team looks at the whole pattern of how your child connects, then builds a joyful, strengths-based plan. Explore [how we support communication](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate), understand [the AbilityScore®](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated), or start [here](/).\n\n## Trusted sources\nCDC \"Learn the Signs. Act Early.\" milestone guidance on gestures and joint attention; American Academy of Pediatrics family resources (HealthyChildren.org); WHO ICD-11 developmental framework.\n\n**Next step —** Curious about your child's communication pattern? [Book a developmental assessment with a Pinnacle clinician](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate).","canonical":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/what-other-behaviours-often-occur-with-not-pointing-to-show-things","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-other-behaviours-often-occur-with-not-pointing-to-show-things","lang":"en","indexable":true}],"dimensions":[{"key":"behaviours","label":"Behaviours"}],"meta_title":"Not Pointing To Show: Behaviours That Co-Occur","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Make sharing playful — point at things you love, pause, and look back at your child's face with delight. Celebrate any gesture they offer, even a tiny reach or look, so connecting feels joyful.","published_at":"2026-06-10T14:16:00.221239+00:00","reading_paths":[{"key":"signs","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"can-not-pointing-to-show-things-be-an-early-sign-of-a-developmental-concern","title":"Can Not Pointing To Show Things Be an Early Sign of a Developmental Concern?","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":"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":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"should-a-frontline-worker-refer-a-child-showing-not-pointing-to-show-things","title":"Should a frontline worker refer a child not pointing to show things?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-developmental-conditions-can-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-a-child-point-to","title":"Absent Pointing to Show: A Clinician's Signs Guide","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"when-should-a-doctor-investigate-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-a-young-child","title":"When should a doctor investigate not pointing to show things in a young child?","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"Recognise signs & concerns","total":6},{"key":"causes","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"what-causes-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-young-children","title":"What causes not pointing to show things in young children?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-causes-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-a-1-year-old","title":"Why a 1-Year-Old May Not Point to Show Things","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"Explore causes & influences","total":2},{"key":"therapy","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"what-makes-not-pointing-to-show-things-worse-in-a-child","title":"What makes not pointing to show things worse in a child?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"do-children-usually-outgrow-not-pointing-to-show-things","title":"Do children usually outgrow not pointing to show things?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"can-not-pointing-to-show-things-be-a-sign-of-autism","title":"Can Not Pointing To Show Things Be a Sign of Autism?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-not-pointing-to-show-things-a-normal-part-of-child-development","title":"Is Not Pointing To Show Things Normal?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-a-teacher-support-a-1-year-old-who-shows-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-class","title":"How can a teacher support a 1-year-old who isn't pointing to show things?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-does-therapy-address-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-a-child","title":"How therapy addresses a child not pointing to show things","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-should-a-frontline-worker-respond-to-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-a-child","title":"How should a frontline worker respond to a child not pointing to show things?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-should-a-teacher-respond-to-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-a-young-child","title":"How should a teacher respond to not pointing to show things in a young child?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-therapy-techniques-help-a-child-with-not-pointing-to-show-things","title":"Therapy techniques for not pointing to show things","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"Explore therapy & support","total":9},{"key":"home","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-i-help-a-young-child-with-not-pointing-to-show-things","title":"How to Help a Young Child Who Isn't Pointing to Show Things","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-do-i-handle-not-pointing-to-show-things-in-a-1-year-old","title":"How do I handle not pointing to show things in a 1-year-old?","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"At home & in everyday life","total":2}],"what_to_watch":"Watch for several behaviours together by around 18 months: not following your point, limited eye contact, not bringing toys to share, fewer waves or claps, and less response to their name.","authority_links":[{"url":"https://www.cdc.gov/child-development","label":"CDC milestone guidance on gestures and joint attention"},{"url":"https://www.healthychildren.org","label":"AAP HealthyChildren.org family resources"},{"url":"https://icd.who.int","label":"WHO ICD-11 developmental framework"}],"last_reviewed_at":"2026-06-10T14:16:00.221239+00:00","meta_description":"Not pointing to show things often appears with limited eye contact, not following a point and fewer gestures. Learn the cluster and when a check helps.","related_materials":[],"related_techniques":[]}