Chicco

What is autism?
It's precocious pathology that affects the central nervous system and causes a disability that damages communication, behaviour, socialization and learning.
In Italy there is still much misinformation in regard to this disorder.

Up to 1980 Italy registered a case of autism out of 2,000; nowadays statistics record a case out of 167 newborn children.
The outlook is not encouraging at all outside Italy as well: indeed according to the European Commission, autism is destined to become the evolutive disorder with the highest incidence within the next decade.

But how do we face this disorder nowadays?

Depending on the international scientific community there is more than just one valid treatment for all the people affected by autism, because every patient respond in his own personal way and taking his own time.

Italian families denounce the deficiencies of the national sanitary service, which provides few answers and much less services. In the last years the cuts made in assistance have prevented autistic people from benefiting from qualified personnel and suitable structures. The only alternative is providing assistance privately, but not everyone can afford to spend up to 2,000 € a month with an invalidity pension of 449.57€.

Among these families there is also Federico’s (alias 'Chicco'), a 15 years old boy that presents some disturbs of the autistic spectrum.

Living with this disability in a family is not easy; it means clashing against prejudice and discrimination every day, not to mention the stress. But above all it means fighting against institutions, so that your own son can at least receive a continuative assistance and the specific services he needs.

Because you cannot heal from autism up to the present.