57

Ariane was hospitalized at the age of 6 months because of advanced weight loss. Despite all the efforts of the medical staff, she did not grow or gain weight. The dismay of the staff, caused by the “impossible” nature of the clinical situation, translated into increasingly invasive and dehumanizing examinations. The infant became a mere “object” of care, and was deprived of her subjectivity. By separating the subject from her representations, the symptom was displaced. Ariane’s case is not simply a clinical example of anorexia, but rather the account of an experience with anxious staff members, overwhelmed by the ideal of healing and unable to admit their impotence. As the staff worked on their desire, the infant was finally given a voice.