Songbird

For parents and guardians of autistic children

You don't have to figure this out in the right order.

Common Ground is a plain-language guide for parents and guardians of autistic children — what autism is, what the research actually shows, what helps day to day, and how to find the services your state owes your family.

Understanding autism Help in your state
  • Plain language
  • All 50 states + DC
  • Free, no ads
  • No sign-up needed

Tap the heart. A rainbow heart for every kind of mind: every child has their own voice, and sometimes it sings.

Where are you right now?

Something feels differentYou've noticed things but nobody has said the word yet. Start with what autism is and how evaluation works. We just got a diagnosisThe first ninety days, in order. What to do this week, this month, and what can wait. I need services and moneyEarly intervention, IEPs, Medicaid waivers, respite — and who to call in your state. Today was hardMeltdowns, sleep, food, transitions. Practical things that lower the temperature at home.

Songbird Reader

Singing helped Yuvan learn to read. So we built Songbird Reader, a free sing-along reading app for autistic children.

306 sung stories from Kindergarten to Grade 5. Each word lights up as it's sung, then your child sings along and plays a word game. No ads, no accounts, and nothing leaves your device.

See Songbird Reader

If you are worried right now

Urgent help

988 — call or text the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline, 24/7, for mental health crises of any kind, including for caregivers. Some areas can dispatch a mobile crisis team instead of police.

911 — if your child is missing. Say the words "autistic and may not respond to their name," and mention water: wandering toward water is the leading cause of death after elopement. Ask your local department whether they keep a voluntary registry for residents with disabilities.

If a crisis feels close for you as a caregiver, talking to your own doctor or a counselor is a reasonable next step, and one a lot of parents in this position take.

Both lines offer interpreters. You can say the name of your language in English and wait to be connected.