In Bulgaria, however, there is still no record of all cases of this disorder, says Dr Atanaska Avramova, head of the day care unit at the Child Psychiatry Clinic at the Alexandrovska University Hospital, in an interview with BNR "Hristo Botev".

"Being diagnosed and included in a registry can be highly stigmatising for individuals, leading to the distortion of data. So many parents will try to avoid a diagnosis at all costs to protect their child from being stigmatised. 

Unfortunately, paediatricians seem to be inclined to avoid referral to a child psychiatrist. One reason for this is that child psychiatrists are rare in our country.

The age at which autism is diagnosed varies from case to case. Parents usually recognise the problem between the ages of 2.5 and 4, often triggered by difficulties in the child's adjustment to kindergarten, which is the first red flag for them to seek professional help," says Dr Avramova.

"Receiving an autism diagnosis is an extremely challenging time for parents. Today, however, there are more social services and facilities that accept and support these children. Integration in kindergartens and schools has improved. Children on the spectrum are gradually becoming more accepted, with a positive trend towards inclusion in schools and special educational support centres, tailored to their individual levels of functioning. However, when they reach adulthood, the prospects become bleak. There are very few employment opportunities for young adults with this disorder in our country."