Autism is an alteration of the normal developmental processes, which leads to a linguistic, cognitive, social deficit and an impairment of the adaptation and game play skills. Children suffering from this disease lag increasingly behind their peers during their growth process. The cause is unknown but there are several evidences of neurological anomalies in some areas of the brain.

Autism Aid Onlus was founded in 2004 on the initiative of the autistic children’s parents who had acquired a long-time experience in the US. The non-profit Association’s solely purpose is to pursue the social solidarity by defending the rights and equal opportunities of people suffering from ASD.

The Association is committed in several fields, among which:

• Work training courses implemented by horticulture and cooking labs, with the aim of acquiring specific skills and know-how to support people’s autonomy and spread the social skills.
• Natation and track-and-field sports training courses held in several sports facilities and developed through individualised paths based on the attitudes of each athlete. This gives people the opportunity to experiment and prove themselves in several recreational and sports activities.
• Continuing training courses destined to the school and educational services professionals in order to ensure the autistic students an adequate involvement in the scholastic activities, that is the first “step” for their social integration.