Little Steps, Big Insights: A Study of Early Development

The Early Social Development Lab at USC is working to better understand the earliest signs of autism so we can support children and families as early as possible. If you have a newborn with an older biological sibling on the autism spectrum, we would love to partner with you. From your baby’s first weeks through age 3, our team visits families at home to provide developmental check-ins, warm and personalized feedback, and up to $240 for your time. Visits are scheduled when your child is 1, 2, 3, 6, 9, and 12 months old, with brief questionnaires at 24 months and a final visit at 36 months. Most visits last about 1.5–2 hours, and the 36-month visit lasts a bit longer because we complete a full autism evaluation. We may use cameras to gently record play and interactions, and you’ll always be right there with your child. We aim to make every visit supportive, respectful, and family-centered.

- newborn 3 months or younger, - have a full biological sibling with autism, - live in SC or NC 

- known vision or hearing problems, - known heart condition