About EarlyBegin
EarlyBegin exists for one reason: to help worried parents find the right information — and the right words — to get help for their child as early as possible. The core of EarlyBegin is free, and it always will be.
Why we started
I'm Ishwor Pokharel, and I started EarlyBegin after living this. Our son didn't speak during his first 18 months, and like so many families, we felt the quiet worry that something might be off — along with the uncertainty of not knowing what to do about it.
What we discovered was surprising: the Early Intervention process itself wasn't the hard part. The hard part was finding the right information and knowing what to say — which number to call, what to ask for, and how to explain our concerns. We almost didn't start because we assumed help would be expensive. It isn't: the evaluation is free in every U.S. state, services cost little or nothing (many states charge nothing at all), and you don't need a referral or a diagnosis to begin.
EarlyBegin is the resource we wished we'd had: a clear, calm, free guide that helps you check your child's development, understand what you're seeing, and take the first step with confidence.
What we believe
- Early help changes outcomes. The first three years are when a child's brain is most adaptable. The process can be slow, so starting sooner means your child gets support sooner.
- It should be free and simple. Cost and confusion stop too many families from getting help they're entitled to. We remove both.
- Trust your instincts. You know your child best. Our job is to give you the facts and the words to act on what you already sense.
How we keep our guidance accurate
The information on EarlyBegin is health-related, so we hold it to a high standard. Our developmental content and milestones are based on authoritative, publicly available guidance, and we cite our sources on each article so you can verify them yourself:
- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) "Learn the Signs. Act Early." program
- The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)
- The American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) and the American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) for therapy-specific topics
- The ECTA Center and state Part C agencies for Early Intervention program details and contacts
We're adding review by licensed clinicians (such as pediatricians and speech-language pathologists). When an article has been reviewed, the reviewer's name and credentials appear on the page; articles without a named reviewer have not been clinically reviewed yet. Every piece of contact information for state and local Early Intervention programs is sourced from official government directories and carries a "last verified" date and a link to the original source.
Important: EarlyBegin gives parents direction — what to do next and how to take the first step. We don't diagnose, treat, or provide medical advice. For questions about your child's health or development, talk to your pediatrician.
What EarlyBegin offers
- A free milestone checker based on CDC guidance
- Plain-language guides on developmental red flags and how the free Early Intervention evaluation works
- In-depth articles on speech, autism signs, motor skills, feeding, and more
- State-by-state help finding and contacting your local Early Intervention program
Start with one small step
Check your child's milestones and get a personalized, free action plan in minutes. No cost, no referral, no pressure.
Check your child's milestones →