My son doesn't point, any advice?

Tulip370

I had written a post two months ago about my DS never pointing to things he wants.  He still does not point, although I have seen him use his index finger in other ways, like trying to dig it into the dog's mouth and to push buttons on his toys.  The teachers at daycare said he just goes and gets what he wants instead of pointing it out to them.  He will reach for things and if he cannot reach, he will cry while reaching.  Is this a form of pointing?

The pedi said if he isn't pointing by 18 months, it may need looked into by Early Intervention.  Have any of you noticed your toddlers never pointing and still develop normal language and socialization skills?  How can I help my son learn to point?

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DandNclark

My son doesn't point but two little girls his age do. I heard from someone that its fine as long as he is indicating what he wants by other means. Like a grunt or a cry or in my DS case he says "see". I figure he'll start to point when he is ready and just as long as he is making other advances he should be just fine.

lujain

We had my daughter evaluated for autism at 15 months.  One of our areas of concern was the fact that she did not point.  She did the whole-hand reach, which is not the same thing as using a distal point (with just the index finger).  The developmental pediatrician recommended that we teach LO to point by using hand-over-hand techniques.  Basically you just put your hand over the child's and physically show him what you want him to do.  My daughter was very resistant to pointing so we let it go. 

At 17 months she started pointing on her own.  We were at the mall and she started pointing at the dogs in the pet store.  She's been pointing at everything ever since.

My daughter does have a severe speech delay as well as social delays.  She's been getting speech and occupational therapy through EI.

rosesandpeonies

I would basically show him by doing it yourself.  Point to things and tell him or ask him what they are.  You could also do what the above poster said about physically showing him what to do.  Don't overwhelm him but that is what I would start doing.

grace_smith03

mine started pointing at 17 months.

nomadica

Not pointing by 12 months is a red flag for autism (though not diagnostic of it!). I don't think it's the pointing so much in and of itself, but the joint attention aspect. By 12 months children should be pointing to things to share an interest with you. Pointing to get needs met is also done in kids with autism. My son still doesn't point and may be on the spectrum, which is how I know any of this. Did your child babble and respond to name by 12 months? (these are other red flags). Does he look to you when he's playing, play games with you (e.g. peekaboo), and look to you when he's unsure of something? Did he have stranger and separation anxiety? All those would be good signs.

Not to scare you at all because most likely your son is fine, but if you feel like something is wrong, trust your gut- no one believed me at first, including our pedi, but I insisted on evaluations and it was clear DS was quite delayed. An evaluation cannot hurt.

NiniJ55

Really?  Early intervention because he does not point? 

DS does not point.  He understands thins very well and will either get you want he wants or take you to it.  He also almost never waves -- not becuase he can't but becuase he does not want to.

July_2009

I think your LO has more time to figure out pointing. It can happen any day. Some kids start pointing out at 9 months, some not until 15 months. 

Having said that, my DS is going to be 2 in few days and he still does not point consistently. He points his entire hand in the direction of what he wants. While reading books, he uses his thumb or middle finger to point, he does not like to point with index finger. For us, we have a host of other developmental issues with him and he has been diagnosed recently with ASD (Autism Spectrum disorder). I don't mean to freak you out, but what I am saying is just not pointing is not a problem by itself. If they are coupled with other red flags, then it would not hurt to get an evaluation.  

qsuziez

My son just started pointing with his index finger about last month. He would always point like Hitler (with all 4 of his fingers) and then one day he just started doing it.

Your LO is still young so I wouldn't be too concerned. Each child is different. He'll do it on his own time.

Tulip370

nomadica:

Not pointing by 12 months is a red flag for autism (though not diagnostic of it!). I don't think it's the pointing so much in and of itself, but the joint attention aspect. By 12 months children should be pointing to things to share an interest with you. Pointing to get needs met is also done in kids with autism. My son still doesn't point and may be on the spectrum, which is how I know any of this. Did your child babble and respond to name by 12 months? (these are other red flags). Does he look to you when he's playing, play games with you (e.g. peekaboo), and look to you when he's unsure of something? Did he have stranger and separation anxiety? All those would be good signs.

Not to scare you at all because most likely your son is fine, but if you feel like something is wrong, trust your gut- no one believed me at first, including our pedi, but I insisted on evaluations and it was clear DS was quite delayed. An evaluation cannot hurt.

Yes, my son is interactive, he plays peek-a-boo, smiles, laughs, imitates facial expressions and noises, and when I am holding him he will try to get my attention by putting his face right in my face.  If I sit down next to him, he will climb into my lap with a book and 'read' with me.  He tried to get me to 'eat his hands' by sticking them in my face.  He does have some separation anxiety, but it is almost gone, he really only has it if he is tired or cranky.  It seems to be the pointing thing is only thing is is not doing.  I will make it a point to start pointing at EVERYTHING and making DS tell me what he wants.

lostaspen

My son didn't point until 15 or so months.  We do baby signs, and he had like 50, so I wasn't too concerned.