What’s the Point? Clinical Applications of Gesture Development in Children With Neurodevelopmental Disorders

In this clinical forum article, we examine gesture as a foundational component of early communication development and an important indicator of emerging language abilities. Gesture provides a window into children’s communicative intent and symbolic understanding, offering clinicians valuable insights into developmental trajectories across neurodevelopmental populations. Drawing on research from five groups: Down syndrome, Williams syndrome, autism, Fragile X syndrome, and developmental language disorder, we review common patterns of gesture use, developmental timing, and divergence from typical pathways. We highlight how gesture can function as a compensatory strategy, a developmental target, or a bridge toward more complex communication. Our goal is to support clinicians in recognizing gesture not only as a milestone, but as an adaptable tool for understanding and supporting early communicative development.