Finland

Abstract

The Government appointed a committee on the care of disabled children and one of the committee’s tasks was to develop speech and language therapy (SLT) services. In 1948, phoniatrics became an official medical speciality in Finland and the first clinic of phoniatrics was established in Turku hospital at the Department of Ear, Nose and Throat Diseases. In Finland, in terms of intervention no clinical trials have been conducted with children with developmental language disorders (DLD). Interventions may be carried out directly or indirectly, and in various settings, somewhat depending on the severity and type of DLD, but depending on the source of financing. The Finnish Association of Speech and Language Therapists is the recognised professional association of Speech and language therapys (SLT) in Finland. Screening children for developmental delay before school age is a long-standing practice in the Finnish health care system. SLTs in primary health care are responsible for providing preventative activities as well as assessment and intervention services.