# When to Worry About Social Communication at 18–24 Months

Canonical: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/when-should-i-worry-that-my-18-to-24-month-old-might-have-social-communication-difficulties
Publisher: Pinnacle Blooms Network / Bharath Healthcare Laboratories Private Limited

At 18–24 months, the early signs of Social Communication Difficulties are about connection — sharing attention, pointing, gestures and back-and-forth — more than word count. Worry is reasonable if several of these are consistently absent across settings, or if skills are lost. Check hearing first, then seek a developmental review. Only a Pinnacle clinician can assess — never an online form.

*If your toddler isn't pointing, sharing smiles or babbling back the way you imagined, it's natural to wonder — and asking early is a loving, sensible thing to do.*

## In short
Between 18 and 24 months, the most meaningful early signs of [Social Communication Difficulties](/social-communication-difficulties) are about *connection* — sharing attention, gestures and back-and-forth interaction — rather than how many words your child has. A handful of skills are worth gently watching by this age, and if several are consistently absent across different days and settings, it's worth a developmental check. This is something to observe and explore — not a diagnosis, and not your fault.

## What's appropriate to watch by 18–24 months
By around this age, most toddlers are building the social glue of communication. Gentle flags worth noting if they are *consistently* absent include:

- **No pointing to show or share** — pointing at a dog or plane just to share the moment with you (not only to request)
- **Little eye contact during interaction** — not looking to your face to share excitement or check your reaction
- **Not responding to their name** when called, after hearing is ruled out
- **Few or no gestures** — waving bye-bye, clapping, reaching up, shaking head
- **Limited back-and-forth** — not copying you, not bringing you a toy to show, little pretend play emerging
- **A loss of skills** — words or social warmth that appeared and then faded

A late first word alone is not, on its own, social communication difficulty — many late talkers catch up beautifully. It is the *social* thread — the wish and the ways to connect — that matters most here.

## When to seek a check
Worry is reasonable, and acting on it is wise, if these patterns are **persistent**, show up across home and other settings, and several appear together. A loss of any social or communication skill, at any age, deserves a prompt check. At 18–24 months a structured developmental review is entirely appropriate — early connection-building support is gentle, play-based and most powerful when it begins early. First, do have your child's hearing checked, as it underlies so much of this.

## The Pinnacle way
A 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 form or checklist. Our therapists look at your child's whole story — gestures, attention-sharing, play and language together — and build a warm, play-led plan around your family. Early [speech and language therapy](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/top-speech-therapy-center-india-proven-improvement-rate) helps toddlers grow the joyful skills of connecting and being understood.

## Trusted sources
WHO ICD-11 (6A01.22, developmental language disorder with predominantly pragmatic/social impairment); American Academy of Pediatrics developmental milestone guidance (healthychildren.org); CDC "Learn the Signs. Act Early." milestones (cdc.gov).

**Next step —** If several of these feel familiar, the kindest move is a calm conversation with a clinician. [Book a developmental check](https://www.pinnacleblooms.org/enroll-autism-speech-aba-therapies-india) with a Pinnacle speech-language therapist.

## Sources
- WHO ICD-11 — developmental language disorder (6A01.22): https://icd.who.int/
- AAP — developmental milestones (healthychildren.org): https://www.healthychildren.org/
- CDC — Learn the Signs. Act Early.: https://www.cdc.gov/child-development

## Connected topics and perspectives
- Conditions: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/conditions
- Parent: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/stakeholder/parent
- Toddler-18-24: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/age/toddler-18-24
- Social: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/domain/social
- Concern: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/intent/concern
- Screen: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/lifecycle/screen
- Special Education: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/route/special-education
- Early Clarity: https://pinnacleblooms.org/ask/lens/empowerment/early_clarity

## Related question paths

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