SpectrumBeacon“Wait and see” is optional. Here is what you can do this week.
If your gut says something is off, you do not have to wait. In Florida you can refer your own child to Early Steps today, free, with no referraland no pediatrician sign-off. Early help matters most before age 3, and “wait and see” spends that time. Below is the script for the appointment, and the number to call after it.
Why waiting costs the most before age 3
The free public help has an age limit. Early Steps, Florida's early intervention program, serves children only up to their third birthday. Every month spent waiting is a month out of that window, and it does not come back. You do not need to be certain anything is wrong to start. You only need a concern.
The window closes at 36 months
Early Steps is Florida's free early intervention program for children from birth to 36 months. Eligibility ends at the third birthday, so time spent waiting is time out of the program's age window.
VerifiedScreening is the routine, recommended step
The CDC and the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend screening every child for autism at the 18-month and 24-month well-child visits, whether or not anyone is worried. Acting on a developmental concern by seeking a screening or evaluation follows this guidance rather than departing from it.
VerifiedSource: CDC and AAP developmental screening guidance · How we verify
The script: what to say at the appointment
You do not have to argue. You just have to be specific and ask for one thing in writing. Say what you have seen, name the timeline, and ask for a referral or a screening on the record. Here is the word-for-word version.
“I have been noticing [what you have seen: not pointing, not responding to their name, losing words they used to say] since [when]. I would like my child screened for autism today, and I would like the screening and the result noted in the chart.”
If the answer is that it is probably nothing: “I hear you, and I would still like it documented that I raised this concern today and asked for a screening, along with your recommendation. Can we do the M-CHAT now?”
Asking for it in the chart is not about conflict. It creates a dated record of your concern, which helps if you need an evaluation later. Do the free M-CHAT screening before the visit so you can bring the score with you.
If the answer is still “let's wait”: the self-referral number
Here is the part that changes everything: the free evaluation does not depend on the pediatrician agreeing with you. In Florida you can pick up the phone and refer your own child. No physician referral. No diagnosis. The evaluation is free, and the clock starts the day you call.
You can refer your own child
In Florida a family can refer their own child to Early Steps directly. No physician referral is required and no diagnosis is required. Once Early Steps receives the referral, the initial evaluation must be completed within 45 days.
VerifiedSource: Florida Early Steps policy handbook (34 CFR 303.301, 303.310) · How we verify
Find your local Early Steps office and the referral line through the state program page above, or start from the Florida page, where the Early Steps step is laid out in full.
What to write down before you call
The call goes faster when you have the basics ready. You do not need medical language. Plain notes are enough.
- Your child's full name and date of birth, and your phone number and address.
- What you have noticed, in your own words, and roughly since when.
- Whether your child had words or skills that they later stopped using. Note that separately: losing skills is treated as more urgent than being slow to start.
- Your pediatrician's name, and the M-CHAT score if you took it.
Losing words is the urgent one
Losing words or skills a child already had (regression) is treated as an urgent sign in CDC and AAP guidance, and it is different from being a late talker. It warrants prompt evaluation rather than watchful waiting.
VerifiedSource: CDC and AAP developmental screening guidance · How we verify
If you are outside Florida
The self-referral right is federal, so it is not a Florida-only thing. Every state runs a free early intervention program for children under 3 under Part C of IDEA. The name and phone number change from state to state, but the door is the same: you can refer your own child.
Part C of IDEA funds a free early intervention program in every state for children under 3, and Child Find requires states to identify and evaluate children who may have a disability. A parent can make the referral; the program's name and contact differ by state.
VerifiedSource: Parent Center Hub (federally funded parent information network), IDEA · How we verify
Common questions
Can I refer my own child to Early Steps without a doctor?
Yes. In Florida a family can refer their own child directly. No physician referral and no diagnosis are required. Early Steps serves children from birth to 36 months, and it is free.
Florida Early Steps policy handbook. Verified .
When should I worry that my toddler isn't talking?
Talking late and losing words are different. A child who had words and stopped is treated as urgent and deserves a call this week. For any lingering concern, you do not have to wait for certainty to get a free screening.
CDC and AAP developmental screening guidance. Verified .
How long does Early Steps take to evaluate my child?
The initial evaluation must be completed within 45 days of the date Early Steps receives your referral. That clock starts when you call, which is one reason not to wait for the next checkup.
Florida Early Steps policy handbook. Verified .
What if I am not in Florida?
Every state runs a free early intervention program for children under 3 under Part C of IDEA, and the self-referral right is federal. Start with your state's early intervention or Child Find office.
Parent Center Hub, IDEA. Verified .