Dysphasia
Dysphasia is a severe and persistent form of language disorder. Language develops with great difficulty, despite normal hearing and sufficient stimulation. Intensive, specialized support makes all the difference here.
What is dysphasia?
Dysphasia (also known as a severe developmental language disorder) is a persistent, enduring disorder in acquiring and using language, with normal hearing and without an identifiable other cause. It is more pronounced and persistent than an «ordinary» language delay.
What does this mean in practice? Both understanding and forming language can be severely impaired: very limited vocabulary, difficult sentence structure, trouble putting thoughts into words and following others. This impacts social contact, learning, and well-being.
Important distinction. Unlike a temporary delay, dysphasia persists and requires long-term, intensive support. A multidisciplinary approach is often indicated.
Mogelijke signalen
Do you recognize any of these signs? That does not automatically mean there is a disorder — an intake appointment helps to see together what is going on.
- very slow language development that does not catch up on its own
- strongly limited vocabulary and difficult sentence structure
- great difficulty in understanding language
- difficulty in putting thoughts and feelings into words
- frustration due to not being understood
When is help useful?
- Typical support question: «My child continues to lag behind in language, even after previous speech therapy.û
- Who refers: often a (paediatric) physician, a rehabilitation centre, the school, or the CLB.
- Age: the earlier assessment and support start, the better.
- Important: hearing and other causes are ruled out first.
Step by step
- 1Registrationyou / parent
You contact the practice with your question.
- 2Medical prescription for the assessmentGP / specialist
A medical prescription for the speech therapy bilan.
- 3Intake & speech therapy bilanspeech therapist
Introduction, the support question and discussion of the medical history. A targeted assessment is carried out using standardized tests.
- 4External assessmentspsychologist / ENT specialist
Administration of an IQ assessment by a psychologist and a hearing test by an ENT specialist/audiologist.
- 5Analysis & conclusionspeech therapist
The results are combined into a diagnostic picture. A report of the assessment is drawn up.
- 6Medical prescription for therapyspecialist
Have a medical prescription for the treatment signed by a specialist. The application form is sent to the health insurance fund.
- 7Decision by the medical advisorhealth insurance fund
The health insurance fund approves the reimbursement.
- 8Tailored therapyspeech therapist + child + parent
Support for your child, together with you.
- 9Evaluation & extensionspeech therapist
Monitoring of progress, and continuation or completion.
What can a result mean?
Within the norm
The performance is within the expected range for the age. Based on this test, there is no indication of a disorder in this domain.
Low score
Lower than expected for the age — a difficulty in this domain. A single low score in itself is not sufficient for a diagnosis or reimbursement.
Criterion met
The score meets the RIZIV criterion value for this test. This supports the reimbursement application. The final decision rests with the advisory physician.
Contradictory picture
The results are not unambiguous. We interpret them together with the anamnesis, observations, school information, and possibly additional assessment.
The therapy
- Goals
- Developing language and communication as strongly as possible, with plenty of structure, repetition, and visual support.
- Frequency
- Often more intensive than for a language delay, within the RIZIV framework.
- Session duration
- 30 minutes or 60 minutes.
- Role of the parents
- Very important: daily language stimulation and augmentative and alternative communication. We guide you through this.
- Collaboration
- Often multidisciplinary (physician, school, CLB, sometimes rehabilitation center).
- Evaluation
- Periodic; long-term follow-up is the rule.
What are the costs?
Dysphasia belongs to the more severe pathologies and can be reimbursed via the RIZIV. In short:
You only pay the patient co-payment (±€2 with increased reimbursement). Your health insurance fund reimburses the largest part.
The full fee, e.g. when the RIZIV conditions are not met.
- a valid medical prescription (assessment + treatment);
- prior exclusion of hearing loss and other causes;
- a comprehensive speech therapy report that meets the RIZIV criteria;
- approval by the medical advisor of your health insurance fund.
For dysphasia, there is an age limit up to the 18th birthday, with — for more severe pathologies — a larger number of sessions. Since September 2024, also possible with an IQ lower than 86. As conventioned (official rates) speech therapists, we follow the official RIZIV rates. If you qualify for reimbursement, you only pay the patient co-payment; otherwise the full fee. You can find the exact, annually indexed amounts and the full explanation under «How a pathway works».
Indicative rates 2026 (30 min). You can find the exact, indexed amounts and the complete explanation on the services page.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need a prescription from the doctor?
Not for the intake. For reimbursed therapy, a medical prescription is generally required — we will explain step by step which documents you need.
How long does a session last and how often do we come?
An individual session lasts 30 minutes. The frequency (usually 1 to 2 times a week) is agreed upon together, tailored to your child.
Can the therapy take place at school or at home?
In consultation, therapy at school is sometimes possible; support at home is assessed on a case-by-case basis.
What if my child does not (yet) have a diagnosis?
That is not necessary. During the intake and any potential assessment, we will look together at what is going on and what makes sense.
Ready for a first step?
Are you still in doubt whether this fits your child? Feel free to make an appointment — we will gladly look into it together.