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About Us
 Our Mission
We expedite treatment for newly diagnosed children by providing their families with bridge services until publicly funded programs become available.
Our Vision
The Early Intervention Network's vision is to empower families confronted with an autism spectrum disorder in their children to set positive changes in motion through early identification and treatment of the disorder.
What We Do
The Early Intervention Network develops research-grounded publications, such as the plain English version of the diagnostic criteria for autism, and campaigns to heighten awareness of autism's earliest warning signs. Our "Red Flags of Autism" campaign, for example, was viewed by more than 3,400 individuals on YouTube. The Network also offers a parent-training program, called More Than Words. This intensive eight-week program puts research into practice by giving parents special skills to communicate more effectively with their child.
Why Early Intervention Matters
Research on children with autism shows that the earlier intervention is started, the greater the progress. That's because early intervention takes advantage of when the brain — the locus of emotion and intelligence — is most malleable. During the first few years of life, a baby's brain has breathtaking plasticity to adapt and change in response to treatment and its environment. This allows for the teaching of purposeful speech at a decisive time in language development and leads to more appropriate social behavior.
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Autism Outcomes |
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In 1981, 3 percent of children had good outcomes, compared to 28 percent with fair outcomes and 69 percent with poor outcomes (deMyer et. al.). By 1994, outcomes for children who received early intervention improved. According to the research, up to 20 percent of children had good outcomes, compared to 24 percent of children with fair outcomes and 56 percent with poor outcomes (Goode et al.).
How You Can Help
Not every parent who seeks services under publicly funded programs can give their child the gift of early intervention. Damage done to private individuals of limited means by the glacial pace of government bureaucracy is seldom more tragically realized than with children, newly diagnosed with autism. The gap of time between diagnoses and the initial realization of supportive benefits can be great; and the damage done by a disorder that does not wait grows only greater, more difficult to address and more likely to remain permanent while the papers shuffle.
Your donation will help make it possible for parents to start immediate early intervention.
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