15 month old not pointing

[123Dancewithme]

My 15 month old son still doesn’t point at things. If he wants something he will reach out his hand towards it and whinge but he won’t make eye contact with me to let me know he wants it. It’s like he doesn’t make the connection that I could help him get the object. He also doesn’t point to show things of interest. Should I be concerned or is it still too early?

In addition to this he has never waved, but he does make a lot of other gestures like clapping, raising his arms above his head if we say “yay!”, patting his tummy like he’s playing the drums, and crossing his hands over each other to make a flying bird gesture if we say “birdie”

He only has a couple of words, “book” and “up” if he wants to be picked up, he says “mama” but I don’t think he associates it with me yet. He has never said “dada”

He does bring objects over to us and hands us things. He only started doing that about a month ago. He tries to put food in our mouths (or the cats’ mouths!) He holds his arms out if he wants to be picked up.

He likes cuddles and kisses and is very attached to both me and his Dad, he is very wary of people he doesn’t know and won’t go to anyone else, even his grandparents. Sometimes he cries if strangers talk to him.

He has always been very sensitive and “high needs” and cries a lot and has screaming meltdowns if he’s not happy about something. At nursery yesterday he kicked off because they took him into a different room to do some messy play. He doesn’t like to get his hands wet or messy and he has become quite fussy with food recently, preferring dry, crunchy textures. He prefers to be spoon fed as he doesn’t like to touch wet finger food like fruit or veg sticks (but will eat fruit or veg if it’s on a spoon!)

He has a great sense of humour already and if we sneeze or pretend to sneeze he will copy us to get a laugh. He also likes to offer us things like food and then takes it away at the last second and laughs!

Sorry it’s long. There are probably lots of other things I forgot to mention. But from my description does he sound ok or should I be worried that he’s not developing how he should be?

Thanks for reading and for any responses

[AladdinMum]

Generally he sounds OK at 15M, nothing really jumps out. Pointing is not considered "late" until past 18M so he still has time and when it comes it tends to come very suddenly, i.e. one day they do not point the next day they become pointing machines. How is he progressing in the ASQ's? so at the 12M ASQ, 15M ASQ, etc, that would give you a good indication on progress. Waving, clapping, and all those learned gestures tend to be the least important, so not waving yet is of no concern. It is great that he is showing you items of interests, reaching to picked up, etc, those gestures are far more important - has his imaginary play started yet? at this age it would be very simple, so, feeding pretend food to his toys or people, placing a block or similar shaped object to his head as to pretend it's a phone, etc.

[Mummy0ftwo12]

My dd started talking at 16 months, didn't point until 18 months and was totally fine. My DS was much much later and has s&l delay, i really noticed the lack of pointing when other the children in his group at nursery were as AladdinMum pointing machines.

If its ASD that you're worried about then i have read that imitation is a good sign.

[Mummy0ftwo12]

oh and DS's imaginary play didn't start until 3.5 - that delay was also part of his diagnosis.

[123Dancewithme]

Thanks for the replies.

He will sometimes put my phone to his ear but he doesn’t do it with other objects like blocks etc, so I don’t think he really engages in any imaginative play yet.

He did ok in the 12m ASQ, but he wasn’t and still isn’t pointing, and wasn’t sharing/giving objects then but he is now. He’s not doing any of the things in the communication section of the 16m one yet, but he’s only just turned 15 months so hopefully he’ll catch up soon.

[123Dancewithme]

DS has started looking at us now when he gestures towards an object he wants, like his beaker or a snack. Would that count as pointing to request something? He uses his whole hand rather than just his index finger.

He still doesn’t point to show us objects of interest or to ‘ask’ whet things are.

[AladdinMum]

No, it would not, but in many cases hold hand pointing comes before index finger pointing, and if he is already pairing that with eye contact then that is very positive - it sounds like index finger pointing is just around the corner, keep on pointing to things to show him.

[123Dancewithme]

Thank you @AladdinMum