Autism Resources

• Supporting Individuals with Autism Through Uncertain Times
  This site, prepared by staff at the University of North Carolina’s Frank Porter Graham Child Development Institute, provides user-friendly, evidence-based resources, including an online toolkit (PDF 3.4 MB), for people supporting individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) during times of stress and uncertainty.
• National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)
  NIDCD provides information on communication problems in children with Autism Spectrum Disorder(ASD).
• National Institute of Mental Health: Autism Spectrum Disorder
  This brochure provides information for parents, patients, caregivers, and educators.
• MedlinePlus, National Library of Medicine: Autism
  This page contains information on symptoms, diagnosis, treatment, and more.
• National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke: Autism
  This page includes information on treatment, prognosis, and current research, as well as links to related publications and organizations.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP): Autism
  • AAP's Autism site provides recent information on prevalence and AAP policy as well as resources for professionals and families .
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
  CDC's site covers screening and diagnosis, treatments, research, and more.
• U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: Autism Information
  This page links to resources to learn more about ASD screening, diagnosis, treatment, and research and the Affordable Care Act and autism.
• National Institute on Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
  NIDCR publishes information on helping someone with a developmental disability care for his or her teeth: Dental Care Every Day: A Caregiver's Guide to Dental Health for those with Developmental Disabilities (PDF 286 KB).
• FirstSigns.org 
  This website offers general information on autism, with a focus on the early signs of the disorder.
• Visit Concerns About a Child  to learn about the symptoms of ASD and how to observe and communicate them.
  • The Diagnosis and Treatment section  offers some suggestions for parents.
• U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP)
  • OSEP maintains the Center for Parent Information and Resources  as a gateway to a variety of programs that provide resources and other assistance to governments, school systems, parents, and others involved in special education.
  • Search the discretionary grants database  for OSEP-funded resources by area.
• Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC)
  The IACC is a federal advisory committee that coordinates all efforts within the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) concerning autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
• Autism Speaks 
  This organization funds autism research, works to increase awareness of ASD, and advocates for the needs of individuals with autism and their families.
  • Visit the Family Services Resource Guide  to find services in your area.
  • Get involved with an Autism Speaks chapter  near you.
• Autism Society of America 
  The society works to improve the lives of all people affected by autism.
  • Check out their listing of state and local affiliates  for information about activities and services in your area.
  • Visit Autism Source^®   for help finding and obtaining services.

Please note: Links to organizations and information included on this page do not indicate endorsement from NICHD, NIH, or HHS.

• NICHD Resources
  • Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Branch (IDDB)
    The IDDB supports research and research training aimed at preventing and ameliorating intellectual and related developmental disabilities.
    • Autism Centers of Excellence (ACE) Program
      The ACE webpage describes the trans-NIH research effort on ASD.
    • NICHD Brain and Tissue Bank for Developmental Disorders
      This bank systematically collects, stores, and distributes brain and other tissues for research dedicated to the improved understanding, care, and treatment of individuals with developmental disabilities, including ASD.
  • Child Development and Behavior Branch (CDBB)
    The CDBB supports research and research training relevant to the psychological, psychobiological, language, behavioral, and educational development and health of children.
  • Developmental Biology and Congenital Anomalies Branch (DBCAB)
    DBCAB supports basic and clinical research on typical and atypical development that relates to the causes and prevention of structural congenital anomalies, as well as research training in relevant academic and medical areas.
• National Institute of Mental Health Data Archive (NDA)
  NDA is an NIH-supported informatics platform for data repositories that includes relevant data at all levels of biological and behavioral organization (i.e., molecules, genes, neural tissues, social and environmental interactions, etc.) and for all data types (i.e., text, numeric, image, time series, etc.). NDA was developed to share data across multiple research domains and to facilitate collaboration across laboratories and interconnectivity with other platforms. The National Database for Autism Research houses autism spectrum disorder-related data. The ABCD Data Repository houses all data generated by the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development Study , the largest prospective study of brain development and child health in the United States.
• Interagency Autism Coordinating Committee (IACC) 
  This page describes the activities of this government-wide committee, which includes representatives from NICHD.
  • Read the IACC Strategic Plan.
• Autism Genetic Resource Exchange
  This exchange provides biomaterials and an unprecedented resource of phenotype and genotype information that is freely available for analysis by members of the scientific community.
• Simons Foundation Autism Research Initiative (SFARI)
• SFARI offers annual awards on a rolling basis for U.S. and international projects across all areas of autism science, and occasionally issues funding opportunities for projects targeting a tightly defined area.
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
  The CDC provides the following patient materials, screening tools, and diagnostic information for health care providers:
  • Autism Resources for Health Care Providers offers free materials that providers can share with their patients.
  • Clinical Screening for ASD presents screening information for ASD and other developmental disorders, including timing recommendations, tools, and how to discuss screening with families, for health care providers.
  • Learn the Signs. Act Early. provides campaign-specific materials and tools for diagnostic screening.
• American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
  Professional resources for providers are available from the AAP, including Identification and Evaluation of Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders , which describes current AAP policy (reaffirmed in 2014).
• National Institute of Dental and Craniofacial Research (NIDCR)
  • Practical Oral Care for People with Autism is a guide for health care providers about how to provide oral care to those with ASD. The Institute also provides a 2-hour continuing education module for dental health professionals about how to provide oral care to those with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
• Administration for Children and Families
  Tips for Early Care and Education Providers (PDF 844 KB) are research-based tips for care providers working with children with autism to incorporate learning and development concepts into everyday routines.

Please note: Links to organizations and information included on this page do not indicate endorsement from NICHD, NIH, or HHS.