Diagnosis in child language disorders

Abstract

This paper aims at discussing the question of diagnosis when dealing with child language disorders. Afor this task it states that the heterogeneity of Speech and language Therapy, for some, or its homogeneity, for others, can be explained by two different ways of clinical activity: one of trhem, structured on objectivity, founds this discipline and characterizes its initial period of existence, and the other, structured on subjectivity, puts language and the subject (le sujet) on stage. This paper emphasizes the clinical activity that is conscious of its affiliations and their consequences over the therapeutic effects. It considers that the children clinic can be an interesting place for these discussions, giving a particular role to the parents, due to their implication in the structure of the child who is undergoing treatment. It also looks toward another kind of diagnosis in children, in which the speech of the other person will be implied in the child’s oen speech. Finally, it recognizes that the child can speak about herself and her own symptoms.