Significance of cultural variables in assessment and therapy.

Language is a function of culture. Within the African culture traditional and faith healers play an essential role in counseling the community on various personal and communal health- and life-related conditions. This kind of practice is particularly observed among the native populations, among those less affected by Western influences, and among those who have less opposition from Western and Asian religions. It is in this context that diagnosis and treatment of the bilingual child with potential language disorders were examined from the point of view of the African culture. The present study examines the degree to which the traditional or/and faith healers diagnose and explain the nature of the child's problem to the parent(s). The impact of the African traditional healer is compared to the diagnosis made by the modern medical practitioner who adheres to the Cartesian dualism model which seeks to treat the patient by applying medical and surgical procedures. Speech-language pathologists need to recognize and consider the healer's impact on any child with a potential language disorder.