My Baby Isn't Pointing
The short answer
Pointing typically develops between 12 and 14 months and is considered one of the most important social communication milestones. It shows your baby wants to share their world with you. If your baby isn't pointing by 18 months, a developmental evaluation is recommended - but there are lots of other ways babies start communicating that are worth noticing too.
By Age
What to expect by age
Pointing isn't expected yet. Your baby is working on the building blocks - reaching for things, looking where you look, and starting to follow your gaze. You might see your baby extend their hand or open and close their fist toward objects they want. This is the precursor to pointing, and it's right on schedule.
Some babies start pointing around 12 months, but many haven't figured it out yet. What you're watching for is whether your baby is sharing attention with you in other ways: looking back and forth between you and something interesting, holding up objects to show you, or making sounds while looking at something they want you to see. These are all signs that social communication is developing.
Most babies are pointing by this age, either to request things ("I want that") or to share interest ("Look at that dog!"). Both types of pointing matter, but pointing to share interest (called "protodeclarative pointing") is especially important for development. If your baby isn't pointing yet but is showing you things and making eye contact, keep watching - it may emerge soon.
If your child isn't pointing by 16 months, it's a good idea to talk to your pediatrician. Absence of pointing by 18 months is one of the key indicators that a developmental evaluation is warranted. This doesn't mean there's definitely a problem, but it means the question is worth answering with professional help.
If your toddler still isn't pointing, please talk to your pediatrician about a developmental evaluation. Pointing is connected to joint attention - the ability to share focus with another person - which is a foundational social skill. Early support can make a meaningful difference, and many children thrive with timely intervention.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Your baby is under 14 months and shares attention with you in other ways - looking back and forth, holding up toys, or reaching toward interesting things.
- Your baby points with their whole hand rather than an index finger - open-hand pointing is a normal early form.
- Your baby points to request things but not yet to share interest - requesting typically comes first.
- Your baby is very physically active and focused on motor milestones - sometimes communication skills emerge in a burst after a motor leap.
- Your baby is 14-18 months and doesn't point in any form (whole hand or index finger) and doesn't show you objects by holding them up.
- Your baby doesn't seem to follow your point - when you point at something across the room, they look at your hand instead of where you're pointing.
- Your baby points to request things but never points just to share something interesting with you (for example, pointing at a bird or airplane).
- Your baby isn't pointing and also has limited eye contact or doesn't respond to their name consistently.
- Your baby is over 18 months with no pointing, limited eye contact, and few or no words - this combination warrants prompt developmental evaluation.
- Your baby was pointing and has stopped, along with any other loss of social or communication skills - regression always needs evaluation.
Sources
Related Resources
Related Speech Concerns
My Baby Is Losing Words or Skills
If your child was consistently using words and has truly stopped, this is something to act on promptly. Regression - the genuine loss of skills a child previously had - is different from a normal plateau or a toddler being too busy to talk, and it always warrants a conversation with your pediatrician sooner rather than later.
Baby Not Babbling
Babbling with consonant sounds like "ba," "da," and "ma" typically begins between 6 and 9 months and is an important building block for speech. Babies develop at different rates, but if your baby is not making any consonant sounds by 9 months, a hearing check is a good first step.
Baby Not Laughing at Peek-a-Boo
Most babies start showing delight during peek-a-boo between 6 and 9 months, when they develop "object permanence" - the understanding that things still exist when hidden. If your baby isn't laughing at peek-a-boo yet, consider their age and overall social engagement. Some babies prefer other games, and some show enjoyment through smiles or excited movements rather than laughter. What matters most is whether your baby is socially engaged with you overall.
Baby Not Making Vowel Sounds
Most babies begin making vowel sounds - those lovely "oooh," "aaah," and "eee" sounds - around 2 to 3 months of age. This early cooing is one of the first steps in language development. Some babies are naturally quieter than others, but if your baby isn't making any vowel sounds by 4 months, it's worth checking in with your pediatrician to make sure hearing and development are on track.
Baby Not Responding to Own Name Consistently
Most babies start recognizing and responding to their own name between 5 and 7 months, though consistent response may take until 9 months. It's common for babies to sometimes ignore their name when they're focused on something interesting - this is normal. However, if your baby rarely or never turns when you say their name by 9 months, it's worth discussing with your pediatrician to check hearing and development.
Baby Not Turning to Sounds
Babies typically begin turning toward sounds around 4 to 6 months of age. If your baby isn't consistently looking toward voices or noises by 6 months, it's worth having their hearing checked. In many cases, something as simple as fluid in the ears can temporarily affect hearing, and early identification leads to the best outcomes.