A new institute for treating children suffering from dyslexia and autism opened doors Wednesday in Sofia.

The institute said that seven specialists will be working with the children, including teachers, speech-therapists, clinic psychologists, children neurologist and a psychiatrist. They will also train parents, teachers and pedagogic consultants how to work with kids suffering from dyslexia and autism.

The next step for the newly opened institute will be to provide training for GPs and pediatrics.

The mayor of Sofia, Yordanka Fandakova, and the Bulgarian actor Hristo Mutafchiev have been present at the opening ceremony.

Fandakova has reminded that the first center for working with kids suffering from autism was opened 3 years ago. She has pointed out that there will be a second one soon, in order to increase the capacity of such institutions.

Parents and grandparents who have come to the opening ceremony have complained that they would have to pay BGN 30 per consultation. In their words, the overall support for a child with dyslexia costs more than BGN 250 per month.

“This is not a disease. This is a modification of the two centers of the brain cortex. Einstein was like this, and Agatha Cristie, Tom Cruise, Mozart. The kids see letters differently and experience difficulties with reading and writing,”parents said.