Baby Not Using Gestures
The short answer
Gestures - like pointing, waving, reaching, clapping, and shaking their head - are among the most important early communication milestones. Most babies start using gestures between 9 and 12 months. Gestures actually predict later language development better than early words do, so if your baby is gesturing, their language is likely developing well even if words are slow to come.
By Age
What to expect by age
Early gestures like reaching with arms to be picked up typically appear during this period. Your baby may also start to show objects by holding them up. These are pre-intentional gestures - your baby is communicating needs through movement before they can do it with sounds. Not all babies gesture this early, and that's fine.
This is the key window for gesture development. By 12 months, most babies are pointing to things they want or find interesting, waving bye-bye, clapping, and reaching with arms up to be held. Pointing is especially important - it shows your baby understands that they can direct your attention to something, which is a foundational communication skill.
Gestures should be well established by now. Your baby should be pointing to show you things (not just to request them), shaking their head for "no," and using several communicative gestures. If your baby is not using any gestures by 12 months, this is worth discussing with your pediatrician - absence of gestures by this age is a more reliable red flag than absence of words.
By this age, gestures and words should begin working together - your toddler might point at a dog and say "duh!" or wave and say "bye." If your child is 15 months or older and not pointing, not waving, and not using other gestures, a developmental evaluation is recommended. Limited gestures at this age are associated with later language and social communication difficulties.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Your baby is under 9 months and is reaching for objects and people, even if specific gestures like pointing or waving haven't appeared yet.
- Your baby uses some gestures but not all of them - for example, they point but don't wave, or they reach but don't clap. Different gestures emerge at different times.
- Your baby waves or claps during play but not always on cue when you ask them to - spontaneous gestures matter more than performing on demand.
- Your baby is 9-10 months and just starting to use gestures inconsistently - they're in the learning phase.
- Your baby is 12 months old and doesn't point at anything - not to request things and not to show you things.
- Your baby is over 12 months and doesn't use any communicative gestures - no waving, no reaching to be held, no head shaking.
- Your baby doesn't follow your point - when you point at something, they don't look where you're pointing.
- Your toddler is 15 months or older and relies entirely on crying or fussing to communicate needs, without pointing or gesturing.
- Your baby is over 12 months with no gestures, no pointing, limited eye contact, and doesn't respond to their name - this combination warrants a prompt developmental evaluation.
- Your baby was using gestures and has stopped - loss of previously acquired gestures is a form of regression that should be evaluated right away.
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.