Paper short abstract:

Based on fieldwork and extensive video recordings of pain consultations of children suffering from heavy communicative impairment, this paper explores the ways participants in these medical settings are lead to change from uncertainty to certainty. We will first analyze the linguistic and semiotic resources by which participants express their uncertainty about the pain behavior of the children. We will then show how such uncertainties can be overcome and describe the interactional means which allow the practitioner to consistently reappraise her clinical evaluation.

Paper long abstract:

This paper examines multi-participant communication in medical pain consultations for children suffering from heavy communicative impairment. Focusing on these particular medical settings, we will show that deep uncertainties about the location and evaluation of the pain are likely to be raised either during the anamnesis (when the problem of the patient as seen by the parents or the caring staff is announced), or during the physical examination of the child by the pain specialist.

Based on fieldwork and extensive video recordings of pain consultations, this paper explores the ways participants in these medical settings are lead to change from uncertainty to certainty. We will first analyze the linguistic and semiotic resources by which participants express their uncertainty about the pain behavior of the child. We will then show how such uncertainties can be overcome and describe the interactional means which allow the practitioner to consistently reappraise her clinical evaluation.

E-paper: this Paper will not be presented, but read in advance and discussed