How Children Communicate: What Language and Gestures Tell Us About Development
If you're wondering whether your child is on track with their speech or language development, you're not alone. One of the earliest and most important windows into a child’s development is how they communicate—and that includes not just words, but gestures, eye contact, and other nonverbal behaviors.
So how do you know what’s typical? And when should you be concerned?
Let’s take a closer look at how language and gesture use develop in young children—and what it might mean when delays appear.
📚 What the Research Says About Early Communication
By around 12 months, most children are using a combination of sounds, words, and gestures to communicate. Research shows that gestures often come before words—and serve as a critical foundation for language development.
Studies have found that:
Pointing, waving, and showing objects typically emerge around 9–15 months
The number of gestures used at 12 months is predictive of vocabulary size at 24 months (Rowe & Goldin-Meadow, 2009)
Children with autism or language delays may use fewer gestures, or use them in ways that aren’t coordinated with eye contact or vocalizations
🧠 Why Gestures Matter
Gestures aren’t just cute milestones—they’re powerful tools that show a child is learning to connect, share attention, and express needs. When a child:
Points to an object and looks at you
Holds up a toy to “show” you
Reaches for something while looking at you
—they’re demonstrating joint attention, a key developmental skill linked to both language and social communication. Children with limited gesture use may miss out on important early language learning moments.
🔎 Signs to Watch For
Every child develops on their own timeline, but you may want to seek an evaluation if your child:
Doesn’t point, wave, or use gestures by 12–15 months
Doesn’t look at you when communicating
Isn’t combining gestures and sounds/words by 18 months
Seems to lose words or social interest
Uses language mostly for labeling (e.g., naming letters or animals) rather than interaction
These signs don’t always mean autism or a language disorder—but they do suggest that further evaluation could provide clarity and support.
🌼 How We Can Help
At Wildflower Behavioral Health Services, we provide comprehensive autism and developmental evaluations that look beyond checklists to understand the whole child—including how they communicate, connect, and play.
If you have questions about your child’s language, gestures, or development, we’re here to help. Early identification allows for early support—and that makes a difference for the whole family.