Preschool (3 to 5)
What Should My Child Be Doing?
- At each age, children are expected to have certain skills in different areas of development, such as motor (walking, running), communication (using words), social (smiling, imitating), and/or play (imitation, pretend). Knowing what your child should be doing at each stage of development can help you know if your child needs help. It can also help you identify goals to work toward for your child and what kind of help your child may need.
- As children transition to preschool age, they communicate more (speaking, gestures), have more play skills (independent and with other children), and begin to do more activities independently (dressing themselves, eating).
What Services Might My Child/Family Want or Need?
A child’s services should fit with the child’s age and goals and the family’s values and needs. A child who is not yet talking will need services to help them communicate and talk, such as speech therapy or autism-specific intervention. A child who has difficulty walking may need physical therapy and a child who has difficulty sleeping or eating may need help from a pediatrician. See below for descriptions of services and targeted areas for this age group.
A speech therapist works on speech and communication delays, practices early play skills, and may work on swallowing/eating problems. See below to find speech therapists in your area.
Find a speech therapist in your area by entering “speech” under keyword search and your zipcode under location.
Autism Society of NC Resource Directory Autism Speaks Resource Guide (enter your state and your child’s age)Many different autism interventions have been shown through research to be effective in helping children improve social skills, communication, and play. For young children, most interventions include working with parents (such as parent coaching), are play-based, and can be done during daily home routines. These are often called naturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBI) and are a type of applied behavior analysis (ABA).
Overview of evidence-based practices Video on choosing an evidence-based practice Videos on evidence-based practicesThe Autism Society of America has a list of interventions and also provides questions to ask to determine which intervention or provider may be best for you:
Interventions and TherapiesFind an autism provider in your area by entering “aba” or “TEACCH” under keyword search and your zipcode under location.
Autism Society of NC Resource Directory Autism Speaks Resource Guide (enter your state and your child’s age)Physical Therapists work on motor issues like posture, toe-walking, and walking and running skills.
Find a physical therapist in your area by entering “physical therapist” under keyword search and your zipcode under location.
Autism Society of NC Resource Directory Autism Speaks Resource Guide (enter your state and your child’s age)Occupational therapists work on sensory issues such as tolerating sound, touch, smell, and taste problems. They also work on fine motor skills like drawing and using their hands. They also work on feeding issues and help with learning self-help skills.
Find an occupational therapist in your area by entering “occupational therapist” under keyword search and your zipcode under location.
Autism Society of NC Resource Directory Autism Speaks Resource Guide (enter your state and your child’s age)Care navigators, care coordinators, or referral specialists help families find available services and resources to meet the needs of their child and family. Autism service agencies, such as TEACCH and The Autism Society of North Carolina, offer resources and referral support to families living in North Carolina. In addition, health plans may offer care coordination services. Information on Medicaid-managed care can be found below. You may also want to contact your health plan to determine if they offer care coordination services.
The Autism Society of North Carolina has referral specialists. Connect with an Autism Society of North Carolina Referral Specialist and complete the form:
ASNC Resource and Referral SpecialistsThe UNC TEACCH Program has resource and referral specialists as well. To talk with a resource and referral specialist at TEACCH, contact your local TEACCH Center.
TEACCH Autism Resource and Referral SpecialistsThe tailored plan through Medicaid-Managed Care will also offer care navigation. Find more information
Tailored plan informationParents may be interested in getting support and information from other parents. Support groups are often a good way to connect with other parents and learn about available services and resources. For more information, on support groups in your area, see below.
Autism Support Groups - Autism Support ServicesThere are also support groups specifically designed for Black Families in North Carolina:
FACES for Autism
The Family Support Network connects parents with other parents to offer guidance and support:
Family Support Network of NCFind directories that list support groups and parent support in North Carolina:
Work Together NC - Find ServicesFind parent support in your area by entering parent support under keyword search and your zipcode under location.
Autism Society of NC Resource Directory Autism Speaks Resource Guide (enter your state and your child’s age)Where Can Services be Delivered?
Services can be delivered in different locations. Some service providers may come to a family’s home or a daycare, some may work in a clinic and the child may need to travel to get services. Telehealth is another way services can be provided if the health plan will cover this option. While telehealth may not seem like it could work for a child, often the provider is working with the parent, particularly for young children. They may watch the child and parent play and offer suggestions for the parent to try with the child, working towards the child’s goals. Click below to find service providers in your area and remember to ask about the possible locations.
What Agencies Provide Services In My Area?
At age 3, children transition from services from the CDSA to services from the school system.
Find services in your area by entering the type of service you are looking for under keyword search and your zipcode under location.
How do I Pay for Services?
There are different ways to pay for services. Some programs are publicly funded, and the family does not need to pay, such as services through the school system. Health plans or health insurance often fund part or all the cost of certain services. Although it may be expensive, families may also have the option to pay for the service themselves. If a family is not able to pay for a service, there may be grants available to help cover the cost.
All families have medical and mental health coverage. There are also autism or ABA benefits, which are a carve-out of the mental health plan. While all health plans have to offer ABA benefits in North Carolina, not all families have the coverage. In North Carolina, Medicaid covers autism services and therapy. To learn more about your health plan’s benefits, contact your health plan and ask about ABA benefits.
Learn more about Medicaid funding in NCThe Exceptional Children’s Assistance Center has a lot of information about special education services.
Information about special education servicesFamilies apply for Innovations waiver through their Managed Care Organization (MCO).
Find your MCO/LMEFirst in Families has fourteen regional chapters across North Carolina and helps families get what they need to participate in their community.
Autism Care Today is a national program that provides grant funding of up to $5000 to families. They directly provide funding to the identified treatment providers to cover the cost of services.
Autism Care TodayWhat Community Programs May Be Helpful?
Families may be looking for programs that will provide social opportunities, childcare or support motor skills. These may include community programs like daycares, mommy and me programs, recreational programs, or churches. Some programs may be listed in your local family guides or parks and recreation department websites. Make sure to check for words like inclusive or individualized and ask about accommodations made for children with special needs.
Search for daycares in your area Search for recreational programs in your areaMany museums, aquariums, and parks in North Carolina have sensory-friendly days.
Find sensory-friendly events and placesSpecial Olympics North Carolina has a Young Athletes program offered through Head Start centers and elementary schools across the state. Children two to seven can participate in Young Athletes.
Young AthletesWhat Can I Do While I Wait?
Autism Society of North Carolina for local support groups FACES is a support group designed specifically for Black Families to navigate services for their child with autism
Family Support Network of North Carolina offers peer support by pairing caregivers with lived experience of caring for a loved one with a disability or special healthcare needs
Family Support Network of NCThe Color of Autism offers support groups and trainings
The Color of AutismBFAST is a UNC TEACCH Autism Program project in collaboration with the Autism Society of NC and the Frank
Porter Graham Child Development Institute made possible through funding from the C Felix Harvey Foundation
