A phenomenological approach of childhood autism

During the twentieth century, many clinical psychiatrists established links with "continental phenomenology." In France, the most famous were Minkowski, Tatossian and Lant,ri-Laura. They worked on schizophrenia and bipolarity disorders in adulthood. So, they were not interested in child development disorders. In the same time, Kanner described autism in a phenomenological way. But, this had been sometimes forgotten or neglected. Keeping in mind the work of these famous psychiatrists, we first discuss the interest of phenomenology in child and adolescent psychiatry, especially in case of autism. Second, in spite of Rutter's critics, using phenomenology, we try to explain why Kanner chose the word "autism" to name the syndrome he had described. Third, taking a phenomenological point of view, we show the impact of sameness and sensory disorders on children with autism and their families. In conclusion, we insist on the interest of phenomenology in childhood autism to link research in developmental and cognitive psychology and the day-to-day life of the child or the adolescent.