My Baby Is Not Pointing at Objects at 14 Months
The short answer
Pointing is an important communication milestone that typically develops between 9 and 14 months. By 14 months, most babies should be pointing to show you things they are interested in (protodeclarative pointing) and pointing to request things they want (protoimperative pointing). Absence of pointing by 14-16 months, especially when combined with other communication delays like lack of eye contact, not responding to name, or not waving, can be an early sign of autism spectrum disorder and should be evaluated.
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By Age
What to expect by age
0-9 months
Before pointing develops, babies communicate through eye contact, facial expressions, crying, and reaching. Early precursors to pointing include following your gaze to look at what you are looking at (gaze following), reaching toward objects of interest, and showing interest when you point at something. These joint attention skills are building blocks for pointing. If your baby is not making eye contact, not looking where you look, or not showing interest in objects by 9 months, mention this to your pediatrician.
9-14 months
Most babies begin pointing between 9 and 12 months. Initially, pointing may be with the whole hand rather than the index finger. By 12-14 months, pointing with the index finger should be emerging. Babies point for two main reasons: to request something they want (reaching toward a snack while looking at you) and to share interest or show you something (pointing at an airplane while looking at you to make sure you see it). The second type — pointing to share — is particularly important for social development. You can encourage pointing by modeling it: point at things and label them throughout the day.
14-18 months
If your child is not pointing by 14-16 months, this is considered a red flag on developmental screening tools like the M-CHAT (Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers). However, not pointing alone does not mean your child has autism — it is one of several signs that together may indicate a need for evaluation. Other signs to watch for include: not following a point (looking where you point), not bringing objects to show you, limited eye contact, not responding to their name, no words by 16 months, and loss of previously acquired skills. If you have concerns, request a developmental evaluation through your pediatrician or your state's early intervention program.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Your baby is 9-12 months and reaches toward objects of interest or uses a whole-hand gesture — pointing with the index finger is still developing.
- Your baby points occasionally but does not do it frequently yet — pointing becomes more consistent between 12-16 months.
- Your baby points to request things (reaching toward food) but has not yet started pointing to share interest — sharing-type pointing may develop slightly later.
- Your baby is 14 months or older and has not started pointing with any type of gesture.
- Your baby points to request but never points to share or show you things they find interesting.
- Your baby does not follow your point — when you point at something, they look at your finger rather than where you are pointing.
- Your child is 16+ months with no pointing, limited eye contact, no words, and does not respond to their name — request urgent developmental evaluation.
- Your child previously pointed, waved, or spoke words but has lost these skills — regression of any kind requires immediate medical evaluation.
- You have significant concerns about your child's social communication and development — do not wait for the next well-visit. Contact your pediatrician or your state's early intervention program now.
Sources
Related Resources
Trust your instincts. If something feels wrong, reach out to your pediatrician.
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Related Speech Concerns
My Baby Is Not Waving Bye-Bye at 12 Months
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