Résumé
This study aims to provide an overview of the difficulties associated with a language disorder diagnosis in a context of suspected neurodevelopmental language disorders. We hope that speech therapists will be able to familiarize themselves with the various research advances and current recommendations in order to facilitate the diagnosis of oral and written language disorders. Methods: the feelings and opinions of 255 speech therapists were collected thanks to a questionnaire dealing with difficulties of making a diagnosis with adolescents. Three categories were dealt with in the questionnaire: the assessment and preferred tests on the one hand, the classifications used on the other, and the formulation of the diagnosis. To address these challenges, we chose to analyse three clinical cases using the recommendations mentioned in this study. Results: the assessment of written language disorder is less difficult than that of the oral language disorder for the speech therapists interviewed: this constant comes from the fact that the classifications in oral language are described as obsolete and diagnostic criteria more difficult to identify. Therefore, it has an impact on diagnosis. Applying the recommendations for selected clinical cases allows us to see that diagnosis is now simplified. Conclusion: the results of the questionnaire show that most of the professionals interviewed are not aware of the current recommendations that act as consensus internationally. Despite attempts at simplification, it is not easy to study the complete cognitive profile of the patient: while the current recommendations facilitate the exploitation of the results of the assessment, doubts about the diagnostic assumptions made in the assessment may persist despite the application of the diagnostic criteria now referenced.