First Signs

About

First Signs is a U.S. nonprofit organisation dedicated to the early identification of autism spectrum disorder and other developmental disorders through public education, professional outreach, and resource dissemination. The organisation works with paediatricians, early childhood programmes, and families to improve developmental screening and referral practices for children in the earliest years of life.

What It Does

First Signs provides free online resources including developmental red-flag guides, parent education materials on the early warning signs of autism, an introduction to standardised screening tools, and a video glossary that allows parents and clinicians to compare typical and atypical developmental behaviour side by side. The site also explains what to do when a developmental screen raises concerns, including how to request a referral to IDEA Part C early intervention services.

Who It Helps

Parents concerned about their infant's or toddler's development, paediatricians and family doctors who conduct developmental screening, and early childhood educators who may be among the first outside the home to notice signs of autism or other developmental differences in very young children.