Children learn by watching, imitating, and playing with others. Young children with signs of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) often do not have some of these skills, and they need to learn them. The goal of early intervention (EI) is to help young children gain skills and to teach families some specific ways to meet their child’s needs. It is important to get help for your child as soon as possible. The earlier a child begins EI, the better the outcome can be.