Pointing to share interest — called 'declarative pointing' — typically develops between 12 and 14 months and is one of the most reliable early indicators of social communication development. Absence of pointing by 14 months is a recognized early sign of autism and warrants a developmental evaluation. It's distinct from reaching for objects (instrumental pointing), which develops earlier and is less diagnostically significant.
Why Won't My Child Point at Things? Pointing is one of the most developmentally important gestures a toddler makes. Not because it gets them what they want, but because it demonstrates something more fundamental: the desire to share experience with another person. When a toddler points at a dog in the park and looks back at you, they are saying "did you see that?" without words. The absence of this gesture by 12 months is one of the most consistent early indicators reviewed in autism screening r
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