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Our Mission
First Signs is
dedicated to educating parents and professionals about autism and related disorders.
With developmental,
behavioral, and learning
disabilities on the rise,
there is much that remains
poorly understood, from
cause to cure. However,
there is one widely-accepted
fact: early and intensive
intervention can have a
profound impact on the
quality of life for children
at risk and their families.
The key is
early detection. But
recognizing the
early signs can be a
challenge for parents and
healthcare professionals
alike.
Our organization aims to educate
parents, healthcare providers, early childhood educators, and
other professionals to ensure the best developmental outcome for
every child. Our goals are to improve
screening and referral
practices and to lower the age at which young children are
identified with developmental delays and disorders.
The First Signs website provides a
wealth of vital resources, covering a range of issues: from
monitoring development,
to concerns about a child; from
the screening and referral process,
to sharing concerns. We
invite you to explore our website in your search for answers.
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What's new and worth knowing
about...
A must read!
The First Year®: Autism Spectrum Disorders: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed Child, by
founder and president, Nancy D. Wiseman (Da Capo Press, 2009).
[Read more information and reviews |
Read an excerpt |
Read the Table of Contents | Order online]
Special offer. Order a First Signs Screening Kit
and receive a signed complimentary copy of the book, The First Year: Autism Spectrum
Disorders: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed Child.
[Get more
information].
Be sure to check
out the ASD Video Glossary! Whether you are a parent, family
member, friend, physician, clinician, childcare provider, or
educator, you can spot the early red flags for autism by viewing
side-by-side video clips of children with typical behaviors in
comparison with children with autism.
[Enter the
ASD Video Glossary]
In paperback and
hardcover:
Could it Be Autism? A Parent’s Guide to the
First Signs and Next Steps, by
founder and president, Nancy D. Wiseman (Broadway Books, 2006). To read reviews,
[Read more information and reviews |
Order online |
Read an excerpt]
AAP Urges Early
Autism Screening. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) is
urging early screening for autism spectrum disorders (ASD) for
all children. View their reports:
“Identification and Evaluation
of Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders” and
“Management of
Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders.” [Read
related press]
Promote developmental screening
in your state by airing First Signs public service announcement (PSA)
[View the 30-second PSA].
Please contact First Signs if your organization is interested in airing this PSA in your
community with your organization's name or logo in the last few
seconds, please contact First Signs.
NOTE: the PSA requires the Windows Media plug-in to play [Download
the Windows Media plugin].
For the most complete listing of
upcoming autism-related conferences and events, visit the
Schafer Autism Report.
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