Autism is a common recent topic across media. They say children with autism are geniuses in some fields, but in Bulgaria even the diagnosis is often not that correct. There is no exact statistics on the number of children with that condition registered over a year in this country, not a single institution does the research. Unofficial data says that one out of 80 children is autistic, as 4 out of 5 diagnosed kids are boys.

In fact those children are not so few at all and one can’t recognize them that easily. Communication issues can be felt when such a kid gets into the kindergarten or school, as the environment there is not prepared for meeting autism. Those problems are the heaviest challenge for a family. The main goal in the care of this type of children is the creation of their unique and functional personality which can develop their capabilities and potential to the best.

Vladimir was nearly three years old, when his mother understood that something might be wrong with her child. She noticed that he didn’t talk or react whenever there were other kids around. He used to focus with hours on objects that were not toys. Kindergartens have no vacant places for children like Vladi, though the law gives them the right. Usually whenever there is a child with autism in a family, one of the parents has to stay at home, in order to take care of it. The problem is in the fact that no institution is in charge of these children in Bulgaria. There are several daytime centers, but all those are paid for. There is also a shortage of trained experts. The number of children with autism has been increasing over the past years, but those citizens remain invisible for the society.

The Red Cross in Sofia has been working since recently on its project for the assistance to children from that spectrum in the big city. All participants are really convinced that such children might be fully integrated, as long as the proper care and attention are shown to them at an early stage. “The main obstacle is the lack of understanding for the fact that they are just like the others, they have the qualities and talents which can be useful to them and the people around,” says Mrs. Nevelina Stoyneva, head of the Friends of Children and Young People with Autistic Spectrum Problems project, developed by the Sofia Bulgarian Red Cross organization.

“The project is at its end, it kicked off a year ago. One of its activities is aimed at the public. On one hand we inform people on autism itself and on the other we try to provoke empathy and understanding for these children. This condition is specific and it isn’t usually understood by those who have never had such a contact. The complicated everyday life of these people creates additional difficulties. The goal of our project is to break the stereotypes of our mind. 35 young volunteers with the BRC help us with that. Their participation is priceless, as they do not carry the burden of stereotypes in their communication. Young people, aged 10 – 25 are our target group. They live in a closed circle, their day is locked in between the rehab office, their home and school. However, they remain alone at all those places. That is the direction that we aim our efforts for change at. Red Cross experts enter the social rehab centers and help their personnel. We often organize workshops for the kids, in order for them to feel the care and attention they need. We spot that it gives quick results in their development. To sum up, we try to unite the efforts of a maximum number of units from the state and non-governmental sectors which have the experience in the work with kids and young people from the autistic spectrum,” Nivelina Stoineva says in conclusion.

English version: Zhivko Stanchev