The federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a group of autism- and disability-awareness organizations have launched a nationwide campaign to teach parents the important social and emotional milestones in the first few years of a child’s life.
Learn more about the “Learn the Signs. Act Early” campaign online from the CDC.
“Learn the Signs. Act Early.” is designed to educate parents about early-childhood development, including potential early warning signs of autism and other developmental disabilities, so that they can seek treatment.
Parents who notice delays may hear that they should adopt a wait-and-see attitude, said Courtney Bolen, a spokeswoman for the Atlanta-based CDC. “If you feel something is wrong and different, you should go to a developmental pediatrician,” Ms. Bolen said. “You don’t have to wait and see.”
In recent years, many programs and studies have shown that early recognition of autism and other developmental disabilities is important because early treatment can significantly improve a child’s development.
