As a parent, you already have what it takes to help your young child learn and grow. From birth to 5 years, your child should reach milestones in how he or she plays, learns, speaks, acts and moves. As you watch your child’s amazing progress, track his or her development, share that progress with your child’s doctor at every check-up, and act early if you have a concern.
Act Early DC is the District Of Columbia's local campaign of the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s "Learn the Signs. Act Early." (LTSAE) Program. LTSAE aims to improve early identification of children with autism and other developmental disabilities so children and families can get the services and support they need.
Developmental Monitoring
Observe how your child grows and changes over time and whether your child meets the typical developmental milestones in playing, learning, speaking, behaving, and moving using milestone checklists.
Skills such as taking a first step, smiling for the first time, and waving “bye bye” are called developmental milestones. Children reach milestones in how they play, learn, speak, act, and move (crawling, walking, etc.).
The CDC has created free materials for parents to track their child’s development. The materials include children’s books, milestone checklists, growth charts, tips on how to get help for your child, and more.
If the screening tool identifies an area of concern, you will be referred to a trained specialist to find out if your child needs specific treatment or qualifies for early intervention.
In May 2021, the Act Early DC COVID-19 Response Team hosted a virtual event for families and caregivers of children ages 0-5 years to support their child’s development and self-care for themselves. Check out the session here!