Early Intervention · Infant and toddler
My toddler is not pointing—what should I look at?
Pointing is both a hand skill and a social-communication skill. Look at how your child currently shares interest, requests help, imitates actions, and coordinates looking between a person and an object.
Why this task is more layered than it looks
A visible outcome is built from several smaller demands. These are useful places to look—not a list of diagnoses:
- Shared attention
- Communication intent
- Imitation
- Hand and finger use
What to notice first
Choose a calm, familiar version of the task. Change as little as possible and notice:
- Does your child reach, show, give, vocalize, or look toward what they want?
- Do they look back to check whether you noticed?
- Will they imitate a simple gesture during play?
Hold a desired object where both of you can see it, pause, and respond warmly to any clear attempt to communicate. Model a point without requiring imitation.
Grade the task from the child’s response
Make it easier: Accept reaching, looking, sounds, or giving as communication and pair them with simple words.
Build from success: Create natural chances to choose between two familiar items and wait for a clear signal.
The goal is not to force completion. It is to find the level where the child can participate, learn, and begin using a strategy that supports greater independence.