Early language development is built on many preverbal skills such as joint attention, vocalization, and characteristics of child`s play. Between these factors, joint attention stands out, since it enables sharing the same reference point between two subjects. The phenomenon of joint attention is still not fully understood despite many studies and research that addressed the question of the development of joint attention and causes of not fully established joint attention during the childhood. This led us to focus on the development of joint attention in typically developing children and also seek to address how joint attention is related to receptive and expressive language. Due to the recently increased number of children with autism spectrum disorder and preterm born children, concerns about specific development of joint attention and early language development have also arisen, that is why we included them in our study. The Early Social Communication Scales was used as a measure of joint attention skills, Short-form version of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventories was used as a measure of receptive and expressive vocabulary and the anamnestic questionnaire was used for collecting information about the children’s early life. The study included 30 typically developing children aged 9, 12 and 18 months, six children with ASD and three preterm born infants. Results in the typically developing group revealed changes due to maturing in the quality and quantity of different forms of joint attention. Language comprehension and language production show significant correlation with joint attention. In the ASD group all of the children had severe impairments in joint attention, but language performance varies according to the age of a child. They all showed atypical joint attention and language performance. Preterm children showed significant discrepancy between receptive and expressive language as well slower development of joint attention skills and language development.