{"h1":"When do children develop non-verbal communication?","faq":[{"a":"Most children begin pointing to share interest or to ask for things between about 9 and 12 months. If there's no pointing by around 15 months, it's worth a gentle developmental check — pointing is one of the strongest early signs that spoken language is on its way.","q":"At what age should my child start pointing?"},{"a":"Yes. Gestures, eye contact and shared attention are the foundation for talking. Children who gesture and share looks well usually go on to develop spoken language, which is why these skills are watched closely in the early years.","q":"Is non-verbal communication a sign of how speech will develop?"},{"a":"Strong gestures are a good sign — they show your child wants to communicate. Many late-talkers catch up. If words are slow to come by age 2 alongside other concerns, a friendly speech and language check can reassure you and guide next steps.","q":"My child uses lots of gestures but few words. Is that okay?"}],"lang":"en","slug":"when-do-children-usually-non-verbal-communication","title":"When do children develop non-verbal communication?","entity":{"key":"non-verbal-communication","kind":"skill","name":"non verbal communication","slug":"non-verbal-communication"},"lenses":[{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Parent / Family","value":"parent"},{"kind":"age","label":"Child","value":"child"},{"kind":"domain","label":"Communication","value":"communication"},{"kind":"intent","label":"Milestone","value":"milestone"},{"kind":"lifecycle","label":"Screen","value":"screen"},{"kind":"route","label":"Speech-Therapy","value":"speech-therapy"},{"kind":"empowerment","label":"Early Clarity","value":"early_clarity"},{"kind":"ability","label":"Communication Skills","value":"communication-skills"},{"kind":"assessment","label":"Autism Diagnostic Interview-Revised","value":"adir"},{"kind":"language","label":"English","value":"en"},{"kind":"sdg","label":"SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being","value":"3"},{"kind":"sdg","label":"SDG 4: Quality Education","value":"4"},{"kind":"skill","label":"non verbal communication","value":"non-verbal-communication"},{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"ASHA / PHC / Frontline","value":"asha_phc"},{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Teacher / Educator","value":"teacher"},{"kind":"stakeholder","label":"Therapist / Clinician","value":"therapist"}],"parent":{"key":"skills","label":"Skills"},"related":[{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-it-mean-if-my-child-is-not-yet-showing-non-verbal","title":"What does it mean if my child is not yet showing nonverbal communication?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"by-what-age-is-a-child-usually-expected-to-nonverbal-communication-and-what-should-a-teacher-expect-in-class","title":"Nonverbal communication milestones for teachers"},{"lang":"en","slug":"at-what-age-should-a-child-non-verbal-communication","title":"When should a child develop non-verbal communication?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"at-what-age-should-a-child-nonverbal-communication","title":"At what age should a child use nonverbal communication?"},{"lang":"en","slug":"when-do-children-usually-nonverbal-communication","title":"Nonverbal Communication Milestones in Toddlers"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-it-mean-if-my-child-is-not-yet-showing-nonverbal-communication","title":"What if my toddler isn't yet showing nonverbal communication?"}],"summary":"Non-verbal communication starts in the first months and builds steadily: eye contact and social smiles early on, pointing, waving and gaze-following by 9–12 months, and rich gesture-plus-expression by 18–24 months. By ages 3–7 children read emotions and use body language to support speech. Ranges are wide; persistent absence of pointing or shared looks across settings is worth a friendly developmental check.","answer_md":"*Long before the first word arrives, your child is already \"talking\" — with eyes, hands, smiles and pointing fingers.*\n\n## In short\nNon-verbal communication begins in the very early months and grows steadily through the toddler years. By around 9–12 months most children point, wave and follow your gaze; by 18–24 months they use a rich mix of gestures, facial expressions and shared looks. By ages 3–7 these skills become more sophisticated — reading others' feelings, taking turns and using body language to support speech.\n\n## How non-verbal communication usually unfolds\n- **Birth–6 months** — eye contact, social smiles, calming to a familiar voice\n- **6–9 months** — following your gaze, reaching to be picked up, babbling with expression\n- **9–12 months** — pointing, waving \"bye\", showing objects to share interest\n- **12–18 months** — nodding, shaking head, leading you by the hand, clearer facial expressions\n- **18–24 months** — combining gestures with words, simple pretend gestures\n- **3–7 years** — reading others' emotions, using and responding to body language and tone\n\n## The science\nGestures and shared attention are the foundation on which spoken language is built — pointing to share interest around 9–12 months is one of the strongest early predictors of later talking. These skills sit within the ICF communication domain (d3). Ranges are wide and normal; persistent absence of pointing, gaze-sharing or gestures across settings is worth a friendly check.\n\n## The Pinnacle way\nDevelopmental measurement supports care planning; diagnosis requires an appropriately qualified healthcare professional., under the care of our qualified clinicians — never from an online read. Explore [non-verbal communication](/non-verbal-communication), how we support early communication through [speech therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate), and [what the AbilityScore® is and how it is calculated](/ask/what-is-the-abilityscore-and-how-is-it-calculated).\n\n## Trusted sources\nAligned with WHO ICF communication framework (d3), CDC \"Learn the Signs. Act Early.\" milestones, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and ASHA guidance on early gesture and social communication.\n\n**Next step —** if your child isn't pointing, waving or sharing looks the way you'd expect, book a gentle developmental screen on WhatsApp: +91 91001 81181.\n\nThis is general information, not a diagnosis — individual assessment and diagnosis require an appropriately qualified healthcare professional.","canonical":"https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/when-do-children-usually-non-verbal-communication","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/when-do-children-usually-non-verbal-communication","lang":"en","indexable":true}],"dimensions":[{"key":"skills","label":"Skills"}],"meta_title":"Non-Verbal Communication Milestones in Children","meta_robots":"index, follow, max-image-preview:large","everyday_tip":"Pause and follow your child's point or look — name what they're sharing (\"Yes, the dog!\"). This simple back-and-forth grows both gestures and words.","published_at":"2026-06-10T14:10:00.215102+00:00","reading_paths":[{"key":"signs","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"when-do-children-usually-nonverbal-communication","title":"Nonverbal Communication Milestones in Toddlers","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"at-what-age-should-a-child-non-verbal-communication","title":"When should a child develop non-verbal communication?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"at-what-age-should-a-child-nonverbal-communication","title":"At what age should a child use nonverbal communication?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-it-mean-if-my-child-is-not-yet-showing-nonverbal-communication","title":"What if my toddler isn't yet showing nonverbal communication?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"by-what-age-is-a-child-usually-expected-to-nonverbal-communication-and-what-should-a-teacher-expect-in-class","title":"Nonverbal communication milestones for teachers","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-it-mean-if-my-child-is-not-yet-showing-non-verbal","title":"What does it mean if my child is not yet showing nonverbal communication?","reason":"Linked from this answer"},{"lang":"en","slug":"could-difficulty-with-non-verbal-communication-be-a-sign-of-a-developmental-delay","title":"Non-Verbal Communication and Developmental Delay","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"is-it-normal-that-my-child-is-not-yet-showing-non-verbal-communication","title":"Is it normal that my child is not yet showing non-verbal communication?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-does-it-mean-if-my-child-is-not-yet-showing-non-verbal-communication","title":"What does it mean if my child is not yet showing non-verbal communication?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-signs-suggest-my-child-may-need-support-with-non-verbal-communication","title":"What signs suggest my child may need support with non verbal communication?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"as-a-caregiver-what-should-i-do-if-a-child-in-my-care-is-not-yet-showing-non-verbal-communication","title":"When a child isn't yet showing non-verbal communication","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"by-what-age-is-a-child-usually-expected-to-non-verbal-communication-and-what-should-a-teacher-expect-in-class","title":"Non-verbal communication milestones and what a teacher should expect","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"Recognise signs & concerns","total":15},{"key":"assess","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-is-in-the-amber-zone-for-non-verbal-communication-what-does-that-mean","title":"What does an amber zone for non-verbal communication mean?","reason":"Same 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Non-Verbal Communication in Children","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-is-in-the-amber-zone-for-non-verbal-communication-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Amber zone for non-verbal communication — what to do next","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-is-in-the-green-zone-for-non-verbal-communication-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Green Zone for Non-Verbal Communication — What to Do Next","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"my-child-is-in-the-red-zone-for-non-verbal-communication-what-should-we-do-next","title":"Red zone for non-verbal communication — what to do next","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"as-a-therapist-what-techniques-help-a-child-develop-the-ability-to-non-verbal-communication","title":"Techniques to develop a child's non-verbal communication","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-a-teacher-support-a-student-who-is-still-learning-to-non-verbal-communication","title":"How can a teacher support a student learning non-verbal communication?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-should-a-therapist-prioritise-a-child-who-is-in-the-amber-zone-for-non-verbal-communication","title":"Prioritising the amber-zone child for non-verbal communication","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-should-a-therapist-prioritise-a-child-who-is-in-the-green-zone-for-non-verbal-communication","title":"How should a therapist prioritise a child in the green zone for non-verbal communication?","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"how-should-a-therapist-prioritise-a-child-who-is-in-the-red-zone-for-non-verbal-communication","title":"How should a therapist prioritise a child in the red zone for nonverbal communication?","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"Explore therapy & support","total":10},{"key":"home","items":[{"lang":"en","slug":"how-can-i-help-my-child-with-learn-to-non-verbal-communication-at-home","title":"How to help your child with non-verbal communication at home","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"what-is-one-everyday-therapy-activity-to-help-my-child-with-non-verbal-communication","title":"One Everyday Therapy Activity for Non-Verbal Communication","reason":"Same topic"},{"lang":"en","slug":"as-a-caregiver-how-can-i-gently-help-a-child-practise-learning-to-non-verbal-communication-during-everyday-routines","title":"How to gently help a child practise non-verbal communication daily","reason":"Same topic"}],"label":"At home & in everyday life","total":3}],"what_to_watch":"Watch for no pointing or gaze-sharing by 12 months, no clear waving or showing of objects by 15–18 months, or any loss of gestures or eye contact already gained — these are worth a prompt developmental check.","authority_links":[{"url":"https://www.cdc.gov/child-development","label":"CDC — Learn the Signs. Act Early. milestones"},{"url":"https://www.asha.org/public/developmental-milestones/communication-milestones/","label":"ASHA — communication milestones"},{"url":"https://icd.who.int/","code":"d3","label":"WHO ICF communication domain (d3)"}],"last_reviewed_at":"2026-06-10T14:10:00.215102+00:00","meta_description":"When do children develop non-verbal communication? See gesture, pointing and eye-contact milestones from birth to age 7, and when to seek a gentle check.","related_materials":[],"related_techniques":[]}