ICF- INTERNATIONAL CLASSIFICATION OF FUNCTIONING, DISABILITY AND HEALTH

In 1980 the WHO published a classification of consequences of diseases and impairments, titled ICIDH, in which concepts of Impairments, Disability and Handicap are defined. In 1997, after many years of experimental research, a revised version named ICDH-2 was published. It is divided in three sessions, which indicate the areas involved with the diseases: Body Functions and Structures, Activities, Participation. The last version, namely the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, ICF, unlike the 1980 ICIDH, is not a classification of “diseases’ consequences”; it is rather a classification of “health components”, namely all the basic and relevant factors which form health and well-being. It is a useful tool for statistical, clinical, rehabilitative and educational planning purposes. For those who deal with research, it helps to detect relevant data from a scientific point of view, in order to understand and examine patient’s health and related conditions. In this paper, language development and disability concepts, structures and basic concepts of the ICF are presented. The ICF is the latest tool of the WHO for the classification of “health components”.