speech therapy exercises for a lisp

How to Correct a Frontal Lisp

A friend of mine recently asked me to listen to her little boy’s speech because she was concerned about him having a frontal lisp. His lisp never bothered her until someone outside of their family commented on “how cute” his little lisp was!

What Does a Frontal Lisp Sound Like?

  Usually kids who are demonstrating a frontal lisp will substitute a sound close to the voiceless /th/ for the /s/. You may hear words that sound like this:

Lisp on the /s/ sound at the beginning of a word:  “Saw” sounds like ” thaw” Lisp on the /s/ sound in the middle of a word:  “Grasshopper” sounds like  “grathhopper” Lisp on the /s/ sound at the end of a word:  “Class” sounds like “clath”

A child who lisps when saying the /z/ sound substitutes a sound similar to a voiced /th/; as in the word “mother”.

Lisp on the /z/ sound at the beginning of a word: “Zoo” sounds like  “thoo” Lisp on the /z/ sound in the middle of a word:  “Busy” sounds like “bithey” Lisp on the /z/ sound at the end of a word:  “Days” sounds like “dathe”

What type of Speech Disorder is a Frontal Lisp? Is There Som ething Wrong With My Child’s Mouth?

  A frontal lisp is referred to as a functional speech disorder. A functional speech disorder simply means that the origin or cause of the speech error pattern is unknown. There is no known structural or related cause that can be blamed for the distortion or error pattern. Some examples of known causes of an articulation or speech sound disorder might be if the child is an obligatory mouth breather (can’t breathe adequately through the nose), has low muscle tone (you may see that the child drools or has an open mouth resting posture), has a cognitive delay, or has a genetic syndrome causing the jaw and facial bones to develop atypically, not allowing for the necessary contact between the child’s articulators (tongue, lips, and jaw). If these are occurring along with a frontal lisp, other more individualized techniques and strategies may need to be applied; however, those types of structurally based speech disorders will not be discussed here. This post is just aimed at discussing the functional speech disorder.

Does a Frontal Lisp Impact my Child’s Speech Intelligibility?

How do i  correct the lisp and teach a good /s/ and /z/ sound.

  The focus of speech therapy for a frontal lisp is primarily on re-training the tongue to assume a more back posture instead of a more frontal or inter-dental posture. The goal is to achieve a precise sounding /s/ and /z/ by stabilizing both sides of the back of the tongue and directing the tongue tip to stay just behind the upper teeth.  Here is the order of articulation therapy I would follow.  This is a very basic description of what to do.  It is always recommended that you consult your local speech-language pathologist to help with correct diagnosis and treatment.

Step 1: Auditory Awareness/Discrimination

  You want to first begin with auditory discrimination activities in order to bring awareness to the difference between the /s/ and /z/ sounds and the /th/ sound they are using. Some kids have been lisping for so long, they really don’t know that it is inaccurate. It all sounds the same to them! So start with some listening activities. It might look something like this.  Say to your child: ADULT:     “We are going to learn how to say two very cool sounds! They are the /ssss/ and /zzzz/ sounds. I just want you to watch and listen to me.  You are going to give me a thumbs-up when you see and hear a good ssssssss and a good zzzzzz.  If you hear a funny or slushy sound, give me a thumbs-down!  Got it? Okay, here we go!” sssssssssssssssssss – how did that sound? Good? CHILD:  Yeah! (Child gives a thumbs-up) ADULT:  Right, good listening!  That was a good ssssssssssss sound.  Now, lets see if I can make a good /z/ sound.  Ready? zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz – how did that sound ? Good? CHILD:  Yeah!  (Thumbs-up) ADULT:  Wow, great listening.  You were right.  Those were both good ssssss and zzzzzz sounds. Now go ahead and say the following words – be sure to mix it up so that the first word isn’t always the correct production. You don’t want them to anticipate a pattern and respond based on that! The goal is listening and discrimination of the difference between a correct /s/ and /z/ and an incorrect /th/ substitution.

“Recess” – (child listens and gives a thumbs up) “Retheth” – (child listens and gives a thumbs down) “Bicycle” – (child listens and gives a thumbs up) “Bithicle” – (child listens and gives a thumbs down) Etc.

Step 2: Eliciting the Correct Tongue Position

  (I use a traditional articulation therapy approach for working on the /s/ and /z/ sounds and correcting a lisp)

1. Let’s Play Copy Cat!!

  See if your child can imitate or copy you as you demonstrate how to make a correct /s/ and /z/ sound with your teeth closed and your tongue behind the teeth. They may be able to copy you and that would make it much easier to then move to the next level of difficulty…the /s/ and /z/ sounds in syllables. If your child can’t imitate you, get a mirror and use visual feedback to help them direct their tongue tip just behind the upper teeth. Use verbal cues to explain where the tongue tip goes. You can even use a popsicle stick, or tongue depressor if you have one, to lightly tap the tongue tip and then tap just behind the upper teeth and have your child make those two touch. Verbal cues I like to use for /s/ are: “the /s/ is the hissing snake sound” “it’s a sharp /ssss/ sound!” “smile and keep your teeth closed and say /sssss/!” Verbal cues I like to use for /z/ are: “the /zzzz/ sound is the noisy brother of /s/” “your tongue is in the same spot for /ssss/ but you just turn on your motor…/zzzz/”    

2. Syllables!!

  Once the child is able to say an accurate /s/ and /z/ sound at least 20 times in a row by itself and without too many reminders for tongue placement, I move onto silly syllables. This just means you have them say their “good /ssss/ and good /zzzz/ sounds with vowels. I begin with the short vowels and then use the long vowels. I will go through all positions. Usually I start with broken syllables (s + a) and then move to blended syllables (sa).

a + /s/ + a

a + /z/ + a

  Once the child is able to produce the /s/ and /z/ in blended syllables, I move onto words. There are some printable /s/ and /z/ worksheets you can download and use to practice at this level! These are great for kids and are colorful and show both the picture for pre-readers and the word for kids who want to read also. Make sure you practice the /s/ and /z/ sounds in the beginning, middle, and end of words. Here are some examples:

beginning:               some  –   zipper middle:                     missing  –    business end:                            class   –   close  

4. Sentences!!

    The next level I would target is sentences. Use all those words you practiced, and new ones too, in short phrases and then longer sentences!    

5. Reading!!

  If the child can read, I like to have them practice using their good /s/ and /z/ in reading! Just about any book will do!    

6. Conversation!!

  I have my students tell me a story about something that happened and I tell them I’m going to listen for their good /s/ and /z/ sounds! They love sharing stories.   As you do this at various times during the day (short conversations are best) producing their new /s/ and /z/ sounds should become more and more natural and automatic.  The final stage would be when they can maintain the correct production of /s/ and /z/ with very minimal errors.  They should be able to produce their /s/ and /z/ sounds effortlessly during all spontaneous speech!  

Tip for Parents:

Research shows that a very effective tool in encouraging correct sound production is the “re-cast.” This technique is so simple and is highly effective! Here is how it works! When your child says, “I thaw that thame one yethterday!” you would respond by saying, “ Really, you SAW that SAME one yeSterday??” As you repeat their sentence, you are providing a correct model of the sounds that were in error while just slightly emphasizing the correct way to say the /s/ or /z/ sound. You are not demanding that the child repeat every sentence and word he distorts. Please let me know how your home therapy is going and if you have any questions!   More great resources on correcting a lisp:

LISPING When /s/ and /z/ Are Hard to Say Copyright 1999 Caroline Bowen  

Baby center.com can i help correct my child’s lisp.

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I fear other kids will make fun of my 3 year old daughter for her lisp. It is nice to know there are some corrective actions that we can work on. Thanks! I’ll let you know how we’re doing in a few months.

Hi Roland, How are things going with your 3 year old daughter? Hope all is well! Take care! Heather

Thank you for the frontal lisp exercises. I am working with my 6 year old to correct this. I will let you know how he progresses!

Yes! Please do let me know how it is going!

i am an adult can you tell me if this condition can be corrected now or is it too late. Thanks.

I think that if you are motivated to change the behavior – it is possible for you to correct your lisp. I have worked with one adult on the articulation of the /r/ sound. It was VERY difficult for him to change the pattern he had for so many years. I think it is worth a try if you are motivated and up for a challenge. Let me know if I can help guide you in any way, but find a local Speech Pathologist who is qualified to help you correct that lisp. All the best to you. Heather

I really liked the technique and activities you are doing with the child to help correct the frontal lisp. I especially enjoy the one technique you give to the parents to use to help correct the lisp. It really gets them involved.

That is great to hear! Thank you!! Heather

I have heard that not much can be done about a lisp until around age 7, when the second teeth are coming through. Is this true or should I really be taking my 4yr old to a speech path now and start exercises? Her lisp is mild and cute now, but I wouldn’t want it to effect her in the future.

Hi Carly! I would start therapy sooner rather than later. You are right, it is cute now, but I would recommend getting speech therapy by age 4 if she still has the lisp! Hope that helps! Heather

Hi Heather, I am 15, going on 16 and realized I am being made fun of more and more for my lisp on certain words. A kid in one of my classes refers to me as Syd. (The sloth from the movie Ice Age) because Syd himself pronounces his “s” differently. Now everyone calls me Syd and it is horrifying to speak in front of class. I just can’t get my tounge to stay in the back of my mouth. Do you have any ideas I can do rather than seeing a professional because my family can’t afford one. Thank you! (:

Hi Renee! Oh bless your heart!! You are so sweet to write to me and I apologize for not getting back to you sooner! Life is just a tad crazy for me right now! LOL First of all, I want to apologize for that cruel, insensitive and clueless kid who makes you feel bad! I’m so sorry. Hugs to you, sweetheart! I would suggest seeing a speech therapist who can help you retrain your tongue by teaching you how to stabilize the back edges of your tongue along your upper teeth. So by pulling it back and holding the back edges of you tongue gently on the sides of your upper, back teeth, the front part of your tongue will be in a much more back position and easier to keep behind your front teeth. Try just holding the edges of the back of your tongue on the sides of your back teeth. Get used to how this feels. Then once you have the place down, try adding the /s/ sound. You won’t need to keep your tongue very firmly on those teeth once you begin to get used to controlling where it is in your mouth. It should begin to feel more natural. Let me now how this works for you! Love and hugs, Heather

Oh Renee – my heart feels for you! Have you checked to see if there is a Speech and Language Pathologist who serves your school? I’m sure she/he would be more than happy to give you some suggestions to help you out. I am also a SLP and I have had a lot of success having students make the /t/ sound over and over again – basically just tapping the tongue tip on your alveolar ridge repeatedly on one stream of air. You should be able to hear the /s/ in between the /t/ productions. This will give you a good idea of where your tongue should be for the /s/. If you have a frontal lisp, this should help. If your air flow is coming out the sides of your mouth, this is a lateral lisp and is a little more difficult to remediate. However, it CAN be done! If you notice your air is coming out the sides of your mouth, you can use a straw to help direct the air flow correctly through the middle of your mouth. You can start by putting the tip (about an inch or so) in your mouth on your tongue. This will start to teach your tongue how to curl up on the sides (similar to a spoon). Blow out your air while trying to make it go straight down your tongue and through the straw – you can hear the difference if the air is actually going through the straw. Remember not to bite down. As this gets easier, slowly start pulling the straw out and see if your tongue can kept that position. Eventually, you will be able to put your teeth together with the straw touching the outside of your teeth. Another trick is to slightly push on your cheeks as you make the /s/ sound. Sometimes the muscles in your cheeks are weakened which allows the air to flow around the outside of your mouth instead of through the middle. This is just a beginning point and will help train your mouth what to do without having to push on your cheeks. I wish you the best Renee!!

Hello! This is a great article! I have read here and on other websites that a lateral lisp needs to be treated immediately by an SLP. Words like “immediate intervention is needed” or “should be assessed without delay” have got me wondering why a lateral lisp sounds so dangerous LOL. Is this urgency for treatment due to underlying causes of a lateral lisp that need medical attention? Or is it simply because it is harder to treat and so it should be done as soon as possible?

I have a stubborn 4.5 year old who has a good frontal lisp. We’ve seen a SLP and she wasn’t concerned but we’re working on it at home. My efforts, however, create much frustration for him as he seems to feel wrong about it. I’m reassuring him that its not bad or wrong but he’s not willing to try for long even with praise or rewards. I’ve tried the mirror to show him how my /s/ looks different than his /s/. It’s progress if he even cooperates. Do you have any suggestions to help me make it more fun for him? thanks!

HI Kim, Oh dear! I’ve worked with some kiddos just like your son. It can be very challenging to keep them motivated. Maybe try to work on in a game type format. Between turns on a favorite game, have a prize chart where he earns starts for each practice session and once he gets 5-10 stars, he gets a treat, have a “treasure chest” full of prizes for extra great effort, keep practice times short and sweet so he won’t get burnt out. Maybe have him choose the day and time each week? You could call it “Talk Time” and during talk time with mom, he knows he can earn stars, prizes, or stickers so he may be more willing to participate. Motivation is SO KEY! You are smart to try and get him back in the game sooner rather than later! Let me know if any of these helps! All the very best to you and your son! Heather

My daughter is only coming up on her third birthday but she has a very noticeable frontal lisp. I’m sure that it’ll start to correct on it’s own a little as she gets older but I didn’t know how to start the corrections at all. So thank you so much for this. We are just doing the auditory awareness and making “tsss” sounds to each other right now, but we have somewhere to start. Thanks again.

Hi Shawna! That is so great to hear! Sounds like you are doing a great job already! Let me know how things progress! All the very best to you! Heather

Thank u so much. My 2 year old has an amazing vocabulary, but I have recently noticed her frontal lisp. It’s great to have a couple of exercises to help her feel the way around her mouth and get her used to the real sounds she will be making in time. Thank u

I’m 26 and still have a lisp, not so bad as when I was a kid. I did speech therapy from grade one to 8 One thing that helped me was making the t sound as in” teeth” because that shows where the tounge Should be while making an s sound T, SSS And making the s sound with a straw in front of the teeth is a good way to make sure the air is coming out the front, not the side

Great tip, Mel. Thank you!

Thank you so much! Xo

Thank you for the tips. I’m glad I clicked on this link. My son is 2 yr old and I noticed he is pronouncing his “s” as “th” from beginning and middle (thircle, thun, cathle). I wasn’t sure what else I could do to help him correct this issue other than just repeating the “ssssssssss” sound. It is quite challenging since his focus retention is not for too long. So I try for very short period of times. I disagree with having to wait until 6 or 7 to do something about it or just hope that by 3 or 4 the issue has corrected itself. So I’m starting now. Thanks again.

Hi Heather, I have a 20 month old who I noticed has a bit of a lisp. It’s only heard with words where the last sound is an ‘s’ sound. However, it is not consistent, sometimes she pronounces the sound correctly when it is at the end and there is no lisp if the sound is in other parts of the word. I have noticed that when she does mispronounce the sound, her tongue is coming out between her front teeth. Do you think this is a developmental type lisp that I should just give time or the start of a habit that I should start working on with her? I don’t want to make a fuss over it for her if nothing needs to be done but also don’t want to let it go and make it harder for her later. Thank you for your thoughts.

Hi Amy, Thank you so much for your question. A frontal lisp is considered “normal” and part of the maturation process of the child’s system. It should go away on its own by 3-4 years old. If it is still very pronounced and noticeable at 4, a speech therapy evaluation is recommended. Right now, you can just model the correct way to say the /s/ so she sees and hears it and but beyond that I would say do not worry about it. And when I say “model” it, I don’t mean for you to correct her – only recast, or repeat her words with a non-lisped /s/ sound in a natural and casual way. Let me know how she is doing. It really sounds like just a developmental lisp. 🙂 Heather

Hi Heather, You website is awesome! I have private client that presents with a slight asymmetrical lisp during the production of /s/, /z/, /sh/ and /ch/. She is able to produce all of these sounds in all word positions at the structured sentence level. However, the second that she is not being held accountable she begins to asymmetrically lisp at single word level. We use mirrors and the Entire World of /S/ and /Z/ but I feel like I am not seeing any generalization into the unstructured setting. Any suggestions?

I have an 11 year old boy and 8 year old boy that have a lisp. No history on either side of the family. Why do they have this?? Is there any way to correct it or are we too late?

I have a 4.5 year old who has a lot of trouble with “s” at the end of a word. His tongue proturudes significantly and sounds like “th”. I have tried to have him keep his tongue back while saying “bats” (his favorite word), and when he does the “s” just sounds like “ch” instead of “th”. So basically the mouth position looks ok, but there is too much emphasis on keeping his tongue back. Do you have any suggestions to help correct this?

Hi, My son who is 6 says his “s” sound perfectly at the start of a word, but if it is at the end of a word it SOMETIMES sounds like “th”. do you think he needs speech therapy? Otherwise he speaks very well and spoke at a very early age and has a great vocabulary.

Hi Sarah, It is a VERY good sign that he says it correctly in the beginning of words. It shows that he CAN articulate the sound – he is just still learning where it goes! Just keep modeling and giving him examples of how to use the /s/. You may also how him how not saying it correctly at the end of a word can change the meaning of the word. Use contrasts to show him this. For example, he may say, “math” but means “mass” or he may say “myth” but mean to say “miss”. See if pointing out the change in meaning helps him be more aware. Let me know how it is going. Heather

Hi Heather! Thanks for the information you have provided. We homeschool and my son (who is nearly 8) has a lisp because he knocked out his two front teeth at age 2. His adult teeth only grew into that spot within the past year. My closest friend is actually a speech therapist for her local school district, and she’s offered to help me address it. However things have been busy and she lives 30 minutes away so I really appreciate the steps you have listed here. We will start working on it during our regular homeschool time. (we could obtain speech services through our school district but my friend has been reassuring me it’s not necessary at this point) I’m a little worred though, since he has had it for quite awhile and is getting older. Any thoughts on how difficult it might be to correct it? Is it too late to expect it to go away completely? Thanks for your time.

Hi Laura! So glad you have found the blog helpful for your son! I would definitely recommend working on his lisp now. If it is a frontal lisp – those are developmental until age 4. If they are still lisping by age 4 it is a good idea to begin therapy. If it is a lateral lisp – intervention as soon as it is appropriate is recommended! So yes, use the steps I’ve listed and hopefully you can get a head start until your SLP friend can see him! I wish you all the very best! Let me know if you have any questions! Heather

Hi techer Im 18 years old , i have a lisp of saying ‘z’ and ‘s’ , so i ask it can be corrected( fixed) ?

Yes, with a lot of hard work, it can if there are no real structural reasons for the distortion. I would seek out a professional SLP evaluation where you live. Thank you so much, Heather

My son has difficulty w s, and z .he learned to stop, but has been compensating with a frontal lisp. He is 7 . Any thoughts, he does receive speech services

I would suggest talking to your treating SLP about it. I’m sure they will be able to advise you better than I can without hearing him. Best wishes!

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Thanks for the helpful information. You mentioned there are printable pages to practice /s/ and /z/ words. Could you provide a link? I would really appreciate this. Thanks!

Hi Heather , I m now 20 still having lisp how it can be fixed and till what age it can be cured

Hi Heather, I am an SLP, and I have also heard the 4 1/2 age. I was wondering if you remember where you got that number? I feel like I read it on a Caroline Bowen article as well, but can’t find it. Would love if you had a reference for me. Thanks!

Hi Alexis! I thought I found it in my book Eliciting Sounds by Dr. Secord, but I couldn’t find it today! I will site the source when I do find it! Thank you! Love, Heather

Sources sited from SLPath for developmental age of frontal lisp Smit, A. (1993a). Phonologic error distributions in the Iowa-Nebraska articulation norms project: consonant singletons. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 36 (3), 533-547. Smit, A. (1993b). Phonologic error distributions in the Iowa-Nebraska articulation norms project: word-initial consonant clusters. Journal of Speech and Hearing Research, 36 (5), 931-947.

Please help me, I’m a eleven year old who has a lisp. Since I was little, I would be maked fun of. People would scream out, you have a lisp! Omg, you speak weird & your spitting on me ! I’m not living like this anymore. It’s extremely stressful & mind blowing. I worry to much about it, it drives me crazy. What should I do ? Please help, I’m so, begging you.

Hey there I am 15, living in the UK and I have a lisp, it’s a frontal one and I want it fixed ASAP, I feel really insecure when I talk and self conscious and also I can’t really talk to the boy I like because I think he will just laugh..please help me!! Any help will be appreciated, and my parents aren’t no help, they just dont seem to take me seriously:/

Hi there My son is 3 and has as frontal lisp but I only seem to notice it on some words. I’m currently saying sssss and zzzz to him when the word comes up so he hears me and then he does it back (sometimes) and says”I did it” and he’s so proud of himself but I can’t help but feel guilty that I’ve made him think he’s pronouncing it wrong? It’s not that noticeable to me but I’ve noticed it more now since my mum pointed it out that he does this. What do you think? The dentist said he had an open bite but will keep an eye on it and nothing else. Can this affect the pronounciation because of the gap between his top and lower teeth when pronouncing those sounds? I’m in the uk, would it be worth it to seek out a speech therapist or should I wait? He’s starting nursery this month but His nursery is very focussed on playing so I’m not sure just how much his speech will come on, especially as there is a lot of children (between the ages of 3 and 4.5) Any advice would be appreciated. Regards

Hi Lynne, My daughter is 3 and she does the same thing – although she doesn’t have the open bite. So I know what you mean. I don’t think 3 is too early to work on correcting a lisp, but I do think it depends on the child. If your little guy is getting it, then that’s great! Don’t feel guilty. The open bite posture does create a structural issue that may result in the frontal tongue posture, but with speech therapy he may be able to adapt to this posture by pulling his tongue back slightly more than you or I would have to. There are kids I’ve seen with very pronouced open bites that have totally adapted and don’t have any articulation errors, so I know it is possible. I would recommend a speech therapy evaluation so that you get him on the right track. Depending on the therapist, they may or may not begin therapy at 3 for a lisp. I would continue to reinforce his efforts to keep his tongue back and to always model the correct sound. You don’t need to hound him constantly. Just keep it fun and reassure him that he’s doing great and that he is awesome! I hope that helps you. Let me know if you need any other advice or to update me on what the speech therapist recommends. All the very best to you, Heather

Hi Lynne, My daughter is 3 and she does the same thing – although she doesn’t have the open bite. So I know what you mean. I don’t think 3 is too early to work on correcting a lisp, but I do think it depends on the child. If your little guy is getting it, then that’s great! Don’t feel guilty. The open bite posture does create a structural issue that may result in the frontal tongue posture, but with speech therapy he may be able to adapt to this posture by pulling his tongue back slightly more than you or I would have to. There are kids I’ve seen with very pronounced open bites that have totally adapted and don’t have any articulation errors, so I know it is possible. I would recommend a speech therapy evaluation so that you get him on the right track. Depending on the therapist, they may or may not begin therapy at 3 for a lisp. I would continue to reinforce his efforts to keep his tongue back and to always model the correct sound. You don’t need to hound him constantly. Just keep it fun and reassure him that he’s doing great and that he is awesome! I hope that helps you. Let me know if you need any other advice or to update me on what the speech therapist recommends. All the very best to you, Heather

Thank you for your reply. I have a number to phone to speak to a speech therapist as an over the phone evaluation type thing but my mum is a senior in nursery and said that they don’t usually refer them on until 4 but a lisp until the age of 8 is normal. I still feel guilty when he says I did it because I just feel that at 3, he shouldn’t feel that way when saying a word correctly if you see what I mean? I’m in no way constantly on at him or anything just mean that if he does say it wrong I will say it back to him and try and get him to copy what position my tongue is in when I say ssss or zzz. I’m so glad I found your page!! I really really appreciate you getting back to me 🙂 I will keep you updated.

I’m like 16 and I can’t say any word with messing it up, I believe I have a frontal lisp along with a lateral lisp. How successful is therapy?

Therapy can be very successful, especially if you are motivated! Reach out to your school for some extra help.

Yes! Great advice!

i have problem of lisp and i also use theraphy but no usefull plzs help me

Hi Palash, I would recommend seeing a qualified SLP to help you with speech therapy services. Try elevating the tongue tip to just behind your upper front teeth, gently bit down, smile, and while maintaining this position, slowly release the airflow. Direct the air right out the center of your mouth. Did that help at all? Thanks for writing in! Love, Heather

Hi Heather, How long should each stage last for? Thanks, Marianne.

Hi Marianne! Until they have reached 80-90% accuracy without much prompting or modeling is usually a good way to judge it.

Great article. I’m in Mongolia and my five year old son has a lisp. Unfortunately there aren’t any English speech pathologists here who would be able to work with my child so this is a big help. I have some confusion regarding your mentioned toungue position for s’ and z’s. You said the tip of the toungue should be touching the back of the UPPER front teeth to pronounce the sounds correctly. However, I have noticed the toungue tip should be behind the LOWER front teeth to produce those sounds on my own. It seems impossible to pronounce these sounds correct with the toungue position in the upper. Am I wrong or did you make a mistake in this article?

Rob, you can produce correct S/Z sounds either by placing your tongue up behind top teeth on gum ridge or placing it down below bottom teeth inside. Both are acceptable most people place their tongue up on top gum ridge behind top teeth. Less people produce the sound your way! Are you in UB still? Unfortunately I left Mongolia last fall. I was there for the last 8 years. I hope you are able to work well with your son. Gillian

Hi Rob! Did you know I have been to Mongolia twice! And my husband lived there for 3 years?? I actually got engaged in Mongolia in the one of their coldest winters! -40 I believe it was! Wow! So awesome that you are there! Are you in UB? Do you eat at UB Deli or Mimi’s Cafe? Such a beautiful and special country to me! You can produce the correct sound for s/z using either tongue posture. You can try giving your son cues to try both positions while keep his teeth closed. it may also help to make sure the back teeth are stabilized by have him bite down on a popsicle stick while producing a correct s/z. Let me know how its going I’m so happy to help if I can!

Hi Heather! Yes we are in UB and will be for a while. Interesting that you were here too as not many people are that familiar with Mongolia! I haven’t been addressing the frontal lisp with my son because I’m afraid of giving him a complex about it but it is still something that concerns me. I was wondering if you or someone you know could work with him via skype or Facetime. I Would be very interested in finding out if working that way is possible. Thanks! Best, Rob Rob

Hi, my daughter will be 3 in 4 months and has a frontal lisp… Is there anything we can begin doing now, or should we wait another year and a half to get started? Thank you!

Yes, you can use the “recast” which i describe above at the end of the post. You can also have her try copying you. Just keep it fun and light and praise her for trying!

Hi my son is 12 years old and has a lisp he is getting mocked in school and he is getting upset by it what can I do to help him

Hi Shirley! I’m so sorry your son is getting mocked in school. That is so heartbreaking to hear. I would recommend meeting with his teachers to discuss what is going on. You may also want to talk with his speech therapist (assuming he is in the speech program) so that she can also help offer tips to reduce and eliminate this teasing. Please let me know how things go. All the very best to you and your precious son.

Hello I m 21 now still having problem of lispering plz tell me what I can do for this and their is no speech therapy centre in my city so plzz plzz help me

Hi I don’t know what city you ate in but if there is a university nearby with a “communication disorders” (speech therapy) program then you might be anle to get some therapy from them for free

I cannot articulate /s/ and /z/ sounds correctly. I am 39 years old. please can one teach me how to tackle this problem.

Hi Pari, This could be corrected with speech therapy. If you are motivated, it shouldn’t take you long either!

If you are teaching a child to say /s / in words should you start with initial /s words first ?!

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How to Get Rid of a Lisp: Tips and Techniques

Updated: Aug 28

A lisp is a very common articulation disorder and is considered a type of speech impediment. Lisping impacts many children and adults. Often, adults carry unresolved lisps from childhood that were either never addressed or remediated properly.

While most people think of lisping as not being able to produce the /s/ and /z/ sounds correctly, it actually occurs on a group of sounds called sibilants. These include the /s/, /sh/, /zh/ (like measure), /ch/, /h/, and /z/ sounds.

In this blog post, we will discuss:

Different Types of Lisps

Causes of a lisp.

Diagnosing a Lisp: The Speech Therapy Evaluation

Individualized Therapy Plan to Fix a Lisp

Speech Therapy Techniques for Correcting an /s/ Lisp

How long it Takes to Fix a Lisp

Frequently Asked Questions

It is important to identify the specific type of lisp you or your child exhibits to effectively address it. This can assist in understanding the underlying issue and will determine the appropriate treatment strategies.

Interdental Lisp also know as a Frontal Lisp:

This is the most common and well-known type of lisp, characterized by the tongue protruding through the teeth and the lowering of the jaw. The change in tongue placement and jaw position impacts the sound produced, often resulting in reduced intelligibility.

Someone with an interdental lisp may produce “thun” for the word sun.

Lateral Lisp:

A lateral lisp occurs when air escapes over the sides of the tongue instead of down the center or midline, producing wet or slushy sounds due to the mixing of air and saliva as the person speaks. 

Someone with a lateral lisp may pronounce the word sick as "shik."

Dental Lisp:

In this type of lisp, the tongue makes contact with the front teeth but does not protrude through the mouth, leading to a distorted and muffled sound.

Palatal Lisp:

Less common, palatal lisps occur when the mid-section of the tongue makes contact with the hard or soft palate.  The sound produced often sounds somewhat slushy and muffled.

A lisp is a functional speech disorder which means the cause cannot always be determined.  Functional speech disorders, including lisps, can be effectively treated by speech-language pathologists.

Some known causes for lisps include:

Incorrect Practice:

Children acquire sounds through imitation and practice from the adults around them. If the adults they are imitating have a lisp, it is possible the child will develop a lisp.

Developmental:

Developmental issues such as high frequency hearing loss can impact the development of speech production. Some can develop a lisp for this reason.

Anatomical:

In some cases a lisp can be caused by structural factors.  Irregularities in the soft palate, tongue, or positioning of the teeth can all contribute to the development of a lisp.  Examples include: missing teeth, anterior open bite, underbite, cross bite, permanently crooked teeth, cleft palate, and fistulas.  

Oral Myofunctional Disorders (OMD) can be the root cause of these anatomical anomalies. For example, an abnormality in the shape of the palate or crooked teeth could be caused by a tongue tie or thumb sucking.

Utilizing Different Dental Appliances:

The utilization of a bite-plate, dentures, retainers, and other appliances can cause a temporary lisp. This occurs because the place where the tongue anchors is more slippery given the appliance and can cause incorrect tongue placement

Diagnosing a Lisp: The Speech-Language Pathologist Evaluation

A lisp is often not hard to recognize; however, a thorough speech evaluation is necessary to determine the possible causes for a lisp, the type of lisp, and the proper treatment plan.

The speech therapist will gather all pertinent information about the client, including medical history, past speech history, and current concerns.

Oral Peripheral Exam : The SLP will examine the structures of the mouth, including the tongue, teeth, hard and soft palate, jaw, and lips. These structures play a critical role in producing sounds and are therefore an important part of the examination.

Observation : The speech-language pathologist will listen to the client speak and identify speech-sound errors, including lisping and other difficulties with speech sounds. The speech therapist will take note of which sounds are impacted by the lisp, as well as determine whether any other sounds are produced incorrectly.

Standardized Assessment : The speech language pathologist may use a formal or standardized assessment to evaluate overall speech-sound production. These assessments may involve tasks where the individual is asked to say specific sounds, words, sentences, or engage in conversation. The SLP will listen for errors in speech sounds, including lisp-related errors.

Language Assessmen t: The SLP may informally or formally assess the client's language skills. This assessment aims to exclude any language delays or disorders; however, it is important to note that lisping itself is not indicative of a language impairment.

1) Instruction in Phonetic Placement:

The proper positioning of the jaw, lips, and tongue are described to accurately produce the sound correctly, including:

Stabilizing the jaw: In order to produce most sounds, the jaw must be stable. For /s/, for example, there is a gap between your top and bottom teeth (about 1 mm) and a gap between the sides of your teeth (a little more than 2 mm).

Tooth props such as straws may be used to teach where the jaw should lie when producing each sound.

Stabilizing the tongue: In order to produce the sibilants, the back of the tongue must be anchored on the back molars while the front of the tongue is in contact with the palate (placement is different depending on the sound being produced).

Creating, narrowing, and refining the tongue groove: In order to produce sibilants, air must pass over the tongue. (The narrowness or wideness of the groove depends on the specific sound being produced.)

2) Exercises

Exercises involve strengthening oral muscles to improve sound production. These can include

Compensatory Strategies: Strategies to modify speech patterns and minimize the lisp may be taught if you have an anterior open bite, underbite, crossbite, permanently missing/crooked teeth, clefts, or fistulas.

Collaboration : Collaborating involves partnering with other specialists, such as dentists and orthodontists, when required. If conditions such as crossbite, anterior open bite, underbite, etc. are corrected, compensatory strategies may become unnecessary, and the accurate production of sibilants can be achieved without them. This is because the structures of the mouth have been corrected so proper positioning can now take place.

Production of the sound in varying contexts: perfecting the pronunciation of the target sound in different situations. This requires a systematic approach which entails mastering the sound initially in isolation, then progressing through syllables, words, phrases, sentences, and finally integrating it into natural conversation.

Expert Techniques by a Speech Therapist for Correcting a Lisp

You may be wondering how to get rid of a lisp. Here are some strategies to help you.

1. Use a mirror

Step 1: Using a mirror can help you see the placement of your tongue and front teeth. This visual feedback is Important for correcting a lisp. Ensure that your tongue is raised and the tongue tip is positioned correctly behind your teeth (called the alveolar ridge) to produce the /s/ sound. Proper tongue placement is essential for making the correct sounds and avoiding a lisp.

Step 2: Look in the mirror and smile, keep your mouth open with your teeth close together (but not touching). Your tongue should touch behind your front teeth. When you produce /s/, the air should flow smoothly over your tongue and out of your mouth when the tongue and tongue tip is in the proper position.

Step 3: Attempt to do the above exercise several times a day for a few weeks or until you can make the /s/ sound while keeping your tongue behind your front teeth.

Step 4: Once you can achieve this, practice the /s/ sound in syllables. Once achieved, move onto words, phrases, sentences, and finally conversational speech.

2. Exploding T- Technique

Before delving into this technique, it is important that you are able to produce the /t/ sound consistently in isolation.

Step 1: Try repeating the /t/ sound rapidly by saying "t-t-t-t." Minimize any vowel sounds as it helps place the sides of the tongue more firmly against the teeth.

As you repeat the /t/ sound quickly, you might start to hear a slight /s/ sound between the repetitions. Listen for this sound carefully.

Step 2: Next, make the /t/ sound and let a small amount of air escape at the end of it. This creates a softer sound. Focus on letting the airflow after the /t/, rather than trying to say /s/ directly.

This softer sound is sometimes called the "lazy t." You can distinguish between a "sharp quick T" and a "lazy t" by practicing and listening to the differences.

Step 3: Once you can easily produce the /ts/ sound, you can move to the next step. It's important to get a proper /s/ at the end of this step to ensure the sound is being made correctly. Sometimes, this step can take the longest. It might take several practice sessions of repeatedly saying "t-t-t-tssss" until it sounds right.

Step 4: Once mastered, you can begin practicing words that end in /ts/. Practice words can include "eats," "beets," "meets," "hits." Just make sure there are no other s sounds in the word.

Step 5: Finally, you can bridge this practice to help you produce the /s/ sound at the beginning of practice words by having an ending /ts/ sound next to a word that begins in /s/.

For example:

He hits even

He hitssssss even

He hitsssss seven

How long Does It Takes to Fix a Lisp?

From my experience, the longer the lisp has gone untreated, the more therapy and time it may take to remediate. For example, a 10- or 20-year-old who's been lisping for a while will probably need more therapy than younger children. That being said, older children and adults tend to be more motivated for therapy. So, the dynamics operate in a dual direction.

Intervention for a lisp varies, It can take take a few weeks, but also may take longer. The more you practice by yourself and with a speech therapist, the quicker progress will be.

Your speech-language pathologist will create an individualized treatment plan that focuses on the sounds giving you difficulty. You will receive helpful tips and strategies to produce these targeted sounds.

How Speech-Language Pathologists can Help You Or Your Child With a Lisp

If you suspect either yourself or your child may be exhibiting signs of a lisp, it may be time to seek help from a speech-language pathologist. Lisps can present challenges in various aspects of life, including academic, professional, and social environments. Individuals, both young and old, may become aware of their speech difficulty and instinctively avoid certain sounds.

For instance, a child experiencing difficulty with the sound /s/ might say the word "pen" to avoid the /s/ sound in "pencil." Addressing a lisp with a speech therapist can lead to significant improvements in academic performance, professional interactions, social confidence, and self-esteem. By working with a skilled speech-language pathologist, individuals can gain the ability to express themselves articulately and confidently, enhancing their communication in a variety of contexts.

Overcoming a lisp is achievable with a clear understanding of the different types of lisps, comprehensive diagnosis, and a personalized speech therapy plan. From examining causes to effective techniques like mirror work and the exploding T technique, this guide provides a roadmap for those looking to improve their speech clarity. With consistent practice and the right guidance, achieving accurate sound production and eliminating lisps is well within reach.

1) What are the causes of a lisp?

We do not always know the cause of a lisp for every person with a lisp; however, some underlying factors include: incorrect practice, hearing loss, and structural irregularities in the the mouth (for example, teeth, tongue, soft palate) that assist with speech production.

2) At what age should a lisp be corrected?

In a public school, many speech therapists may begin seeing children with lisps in second grade. A speech therapist in a private practice can begin treating lisps much earlier. Some lisps are developmental; however, others like the lateral lisp should be treated as soon as possible as this is not normal trajectory for speech development. If a lisp goes untreated, it may impact a child's communication and self esteem.

Speech Therapy for a Lisp in Skokie, Illinois

At Speak with Stephanie, we focus on understanding your specific challenges with a lisp. We offer in-person speech therapy for a lisp to both children and adults. We can set goals that fit your needs with specific exercises. You may have trouble pronuncing a specific speech sound, like /z/, or several sounds. Together, we'll look at what causes your lisp and how it affects your communication, ability to produce speech sounds correctly, and self-esteem. Our aim is to help you. We'll give you practical ways to improve during therapy sessions. From better pronunciation to articulate speech, we'll provide the tools you need to speak confidently.

Online Speech Therapy for a Lisp Throughout Illinois, New York, and New Jersey

In addition to providing in-person speech therapy, we offer online speech therapy for children and adults to those who have lisps throughout Illinois, New York, and New Jersey. We focus on helping you produce speech sounds correctly, including fixing your lisp.

Additional Online and In-Person Speech Therapy at Speak with Stephanie

At Speak with Stephanie , we offer a wide range of speech services for both children and adults with speech difficulties. For children, we address receptive and expressive language challenges , stuttering , and articulation and phonological disorders . For adults, we provide specialized support for communication difficulties such as stuttering , aphasia . language disorders , or trouble pronouncing sounds or challenges with the correct production of words . We are committed to personalized care tailored to each person's unique needs, ensuring effective improvements in communication skills. Our holistic approach promotes significant progress, helping clients succeed in their daily interactions and achieve their communication goals.

About the author:    

Stephanie Jeret is a licensed speech therapist and the owner of Speak with Stephanie LLC. She obtained her Bachelor's and Master's degree from the City University of New York. She has practiced speech therapy in a number of settings including outpatient rehabilitation, telepractice, skilled nursing facilities, schools, and a private practice. She specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of communication disorders including articulation disorders, receptive/expressive language disorders, and fluency disorders. Information is available by emailing her at [email protected]  or by visiting www.speakwithstephanie.com .

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This advice-column-style blog for SLPs was authored by Pam  Marshalla  from 2006 to 2015, the archives of which can be explored here. Use the extensive keywords list found in the right-hand column (on mobile: at the bottom of the page) to browse specific topics, or use the search feature to locate specific words or phrases throughout the entire blog.

Oral Stability and the Frontal Lisp

By Pam Marshalla

I receive weekly questions about the severe frontal lisp. The questions always are about how to keep the tongue inside the mouth for speech. We are talking here about the client who has:  Interdental tongue placement on all the sibilants: S, Z, Sh, Zh, Ch, J Interdental tongue placement on all the lingua-alveolar sounds: T, D, N, L Open mouth resting posture Reverse swallow (infantile suckle-swallow, tongue-thrust swallow)

From a motor perspective, the severe frontal lisp with interdental tongue placement during speech is a problem of oral stability. The problem is not just in the tongue: The problem is in the whole face. Oral stability is the combination of jaw stability, tongue stability, and cheek/lip stability working together to stabilize the face in the appropriate position for speech (and feeding, too). Stability is always proximal, or near the trunk of the body. Thus oral stability is maintained in the posterior of the oral cavity. This entire problem revolves around a loss of proximal stability in the oral mechanism.

All movements consist of an interplay of mobility and stability. SLP’s in general usually are over-focused on oral mobility, and they seem to know very little about stability. But appropriate stability is what allows for advanced and accurate mobility. A client like the one described above has poor oral mobility because he has not developed correct oral stability. He is speaking without oral stability. Therapy should be directed toward establishing oral stability first, and then toward stimulating oral mobility.

The mouth is open, and the tongue is forward, because the jaw is allowed to hang low. The client needs to learn to maintain a higher jaw position for speech. This is the stable position of the jaw. I use straws. I place a straw lengthwise along the side teeth, between the molars on one side, and I have the client bite into it. A straw will be flexible, so the client can learn to adjust the jaw slightly upward and downward. I find that bite sticks are good only at a gross level of jaw stability because they are stiff. A flexible straw allows the client to experiment with slight jaw elevation and depression while working on speech sounds. Have the client watch himself in a mirror to understand the concept of the jaw moving slightly higher. Practice T, D, N, and L with the jaw held high with the straw. Then move on to the sibilants. Teach the client to see and hear the difference in his sounds with the jaw slightly higher and slightly lower. Teach him that the high jaw position looks and sounds best.

The client also needs to learn how to stabilize the tongue with its back-lateral margins. I call these the “shoulders” of the tongue. They also have been called the “anchors” and “fulcrums” of the tongue, as well as other names. I teach my clients to produce “Long E” (as in the word “Bee”). The E position is basically the same as the position of back-lateral tongue stability. If you feel yourself produce an E, you will feel that the back-lateral margins of the tongue articulate with the palate and molars on each side. This is where the tongue anchors itself for mobility in mature speech. I teach my clients to over-practice a very exaggerated E as a way to establish back-lateral tongue stability.

Cheeks/Lips

The cheeks also need to learn to maintain slight retraction so that the face and lips are not hanging forward. Over-practicing an exaggerated E also will aid in this regard. This must be a big exaggerated E to expose all the teeth and to pull the lips into retraction.

A Big Exaggerated E

The easiest easy way to address all these issues is to have your clients over-practice words with a big, over-exaggerated Long E. This E is practiced with a big wide smile, and with the teeth clenched in the back. This pulls the jaw up, the tongue in, and the cheeks and lips back. I use the following:

• Exclamations – Eee! Eeek! Weee!
• CV Words – Bee, Dee, Fee, Gee, He, Key, Lee, Me, Pee, See, Tee, Tea
• Diminutives – Mommy, Daddy, Baby, Kittie, Doggie, Horsie, Owie, Ickie…
• Alphabet Letters – B, C, D, G, P, T, V, Z
• Initial E Words – Eat, Easy, Each, Edyth, Eel…

Once clients are producing these E words well, and if they have the cognitive skills for it, I then teach them to go into E position, to hold it, and then to say the other sounds that are interdental. If the client can hold E, he will not be able to protrude the tongue. Over time, relax the E position.

The concept of oral stability appears hither and yon throughout the history of articulation therapy. I will be discussing it thoroughly in a book called 21st Century Articulation Therapy to be published in 2012-2013.

11 thoughts on “Oral Stability and the Frontal Lisp”

• Pingback: Frontal Lisp and Oral Stability – Pam Marshalla's Therapy Answers

Does this explanation pertain to the child with forward tongue protrusion at rest? I’m thinking of the Jay Leno phenomenon. Does the E technique help those kids with lisps related to this forward jaw carriage facial structure?

Fantastic article! Exactly what I needed – thank you!

This is exactly what I needed – thank you Pam

Would you recommend using chew tubes from TalkTools as part of the treatment to strengthen jaw stability?

I have a student whose lingua frenum is attached very far back at the base of her tongue. She can easily touch her nose and chin and her tongue is between her teeth for s, z, t, d, l. I am not sure how to proceed with her. If she holds her jaw stable then she can produce the sounds, but there is absolutely no carryover of skills.

Without seeing this problem myself— It sounds like her problem is due to the jaw instability and you have taught her to produce the phonemes in isolation with “external” jaw control. You need to progress to producing the phonemes correctly in syllables, words, phrases, sentences, paragraphs, and in conversation. And you you need to teach her “internal” jaw control that she uses at all these levels. External jaw control occurs when some objet (fingers, toothettes, tongue depressors, etc) are used to put the jaw into place. Internal control occurs when the client uses her own facial/jaw muscles to hold the jaw in position.

Thanks for the article! It’s funny how after 13 years or practice, I’ve recently discovered the jaw height on my own with some of my mature/older clients who have good oral awareness and I would monitor them during conversation and notice that there is a constant gap between their teeth when they speak. These clients have been very successful with reminders to bring their jaw up and reduce the gap between their teeth. I’m actually looking forward to using the ideas for the tongue stabilization though. I do find that some of these clients have rather tongues that are flat and wide, not just anterior. Do you have any suggestions on how to get them to tense their tongues “just so” for the fricatives? Thank you!

Any tips on establishing oral stability when dealing with virtual clients? I have a family who is not comfortable coming to the clinic during Covid and I’m having a hard time working successfully on these aspects without him in front of me directly to help with the straws etc.

Do you have suggested exercises or tips for teaching jaw stability / internal control of facial/jaw muscles as recommended to Gretchen above ?

Thanks so much

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The 4 Different Types of Lisps and How to Correct Them

Speech errors with the /s/ and /z/ sounds are very common in young children. If not corrected at an early age, they can continue into adulthood.

These speech errors are often referred to as lisps. But did you know that there are actually four different types of lisps, each with distinct characteristics? This article will explain and help you identify each type of lisp. We'll also cover some helpful activities you can practice at home if you or someone you love is working to overcome their lisp.  

The simple difference between /s/ and /z/ production

Before diving into each type of lisp, let’s first cover some basics about correct /s/ and /z/ sound production.

For the purposes of this article, we’re going to use the /s/ production most frequently when providing examples. This is because the same tongue placement that's used for /s/ production is also used for /z/ production. The only difference is that our vocal cords are not used when we say the /s/ sound, whereas they are activated when we pronounce the /z/ sound.

Try this yourself! Place your hand on your throat while saying the /z/ sound. Do you feel the vibration? This is caused by your vocal folds rubbing together. Now, keeping your hand in the exact same position, say the /s/ sound. No vibration, right? This is because the vocal folds are not being used.

This is all to say that when reviewing correct production of /s/, the same rules can be applied to /z/ production. The only difference is the use of the voice.

The 4 different types of lisps and tips to correct them

Now let’s talk about the different types of lisps. We’ll provide a quick overview of each, along with some helpful practice activities you can do at home.

Interdental lisp

An interdental lisp, sometimes called a frontal lisp, is the most commonly recognized production of a lisp. This is where a [th] sound is produced instead of an /s/ or /z/ sound. If you or your child has an interdental lisp, words like “sing” may be pronounced as “thing,” and words like “zebra” may be pronounced as “thebra.” It's called an interdental lisp because these sounds are caused by incorrect placement of the tongue in the speaker’s mouth, often protruding between the front teeth.

Tips for correcting an interdental lisp

Since interdental lisps are caused by incorrect tongue placements, they’re easy to visualize. This can be helpful when working on strategies for correction. For example, when looking in a mirror, it’s often easy to see the tongue protruding between the two front teeth. If you or a loved one is trying to fix an interdental lisp, use this to your advantage and practice in front of a mirror!

The tongue should go behind the front teeth, but it should barely touch the “bumpy part” of the mouth right behind your teeth, also called the alveolar ridge. When the tongue is in the correct position and you begin to push air gently out, the air should flow smoothly right over the tongue and out the front of your mouth.

Practice with your child in front of the mirror, and watch closely how their teeth and mouth move when saying these sounds. If your child has an interdental lisp, demonstrate the correct placement yourself and see if they can imitate your mouth movements. This can be helpful for anyone, especially those of us that are more visual learners.

Dentalized lisp

A dentalized lisp is similar to the interdental lisp. While the tongue doesn’t completely protrude between the front teeth, it does push against the back of the front teeth, directing airflow forward. This can frequently cause a muffled sound when speaking.

Tips for correcting a dentalized lisp

To help correct a dentalized lisp, focus on making the tongue only lightly touch behind the front teeth, instead of pushing hard against them.

One simple strategy you can practice is called the exploding /t/ technique. To begin, say the /t/ sound four times consecutively, and then hold the sound on the last one. It will go something like: t-t-t-tsssssss. The /t/ will automatically turn into an /s/ sound. Pretty cool, huh? Try another with just one exploding /t/: t-ssss. Finally, see if the /s/ sound can be produced while maintaining that same placement. It will sound correct because the tongue is now in the correct position.

Lateral lisp

A lateral lisp makes a very distinguishable sound once you know what to listen for. In this production, the tongue stays in a relatively correct position; however, the sides of the tongue are raised enough to cause air to escape from either side of the mouth. All of this extra air causes the speaker to sound “slushy,” and speech takes on a uniquely “wet” or “spitty” characteristic. In fact, you may even hear a lateral lisp referred to as the “slushy lisp.”

Tips to correct a lateral lisp

If you suspect you or your child has a lateral lisp, you can once again try practicing the exploding /t/ technique. This will help position the tongue correctly so that airflow is being directed out of the front of the mouth.

You can also use a straw and hold it in front of the teeth. Try to make the air come through the straw instead of out the sides of the tongue. You’ll quickly notice the difference, as the sound varies considerably depending on where the airflow is directed. This activity also provides quick feedback so that the speaker can continue working on their /s/ or /z/ productions.

Palatal lisp

A palatal lisp occurs when the tongue raises up and touches the roof of the mouth, also called the soft palate. While this type of lisp is not as common, it can make it hard to pronounce the /s/ and /z/ sounds.

Tips to correct a palatal lisp

In order to fix this type of a lisp, it's important to review appropriate tongue placement. You may also need to focus on lowering the tongue slightly so that the body of the tongue is not raised as high when speaking.

If the person with a palatal lisp keeps their mouth slightly opened during their sound productions (which can be common), have them watch their tongue placement in the mirror. Model correct tongue placement so that the tip of the tongue only touches slightly behind the teeth, and the body of the tongue is positioned lower in the mouth instead of touching the palate.

When should a lisp be corrected?

There are a few things to think about before deciding if it’s time to correct an /s/.

The first is a person’s age.  When children first begin developing their language abilities, often around the age of 2, lisps can start to become noticeable. While mastery of /s/ production can occur anywhere between ages 3 and 8, it’s a good idea to start working on this sound prior to age 8. If a child is able to produce an /s/ sound that's close to correct during practice, it's a safe bet that they're ready to begin practicing this sound.

Another consideration is the type of lisp.  Dentalized and interdental lisps are relatively common and normal for early language learners, and many children experience them up to around 4½ years of age. Lateral and palatal lisps, however, do not occur as a normal part of language development. Either way, it’s a good idea to consult with a speech-language pathologist, who can evaluate and identify the type of lisp that you or your child may be experiencing. They can provide a clinical recommendation on how best to remediate the lisp.

Finally, it’s important to consider the social and emotional toll that lisps can have on a person’s well being.  Speech sound differences or disorders that affect a person’s intelligibility may impact their confidence, self-esteem, and willingness to participate and socialize with others. While lisping affects everyone differently, it’s important to be proactive in minimizing the impacts of the lisp and regaining normal speech.  

When to speak with a speech therapist about fixing a lisp

If you suspect that your child has a lisp, or you notice them struggling with their /s/ and /z/ sounds with little improvement over time, it’s important to reach out to a speech therapist. Based on an evaluation and their clinical experience, they may tell you that your child is too young to start therapy, or they may recommend a treatment plan to begin working on these sounds. Either way, this professional guidance will give you the confidence to help you make the most informed treatment decision.

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Frontal Lisp: Understanding Treatment, and Implications

The enigmatic nature of speech impediments often intrigues many of us, and the frontal lisp is no exception. This particular speech challenge, marked by a distinctive sibilant sound, has piqued the interest of speech-language pathologists and laypersons alike. In the forthcoming article, we will embark on a journey to unravel the complexities of the Frontal Lisp, exploring its nuances and its impact on communication and self-perception.

As we delve into the causes, the psychological implications, and the pathways to remediation, we invite you to join us in shedding light on this speech phenomenon. Stay tuned, as we promise to reveal insights that could change how you understand this common yet often misunderstood articulation pattern.

What is a frontal lisp?

A frontal lisp is a speech disorder incorrectly articulates the “s” and “z” sounds. Typically, these sounds are produced with the tongue placed too far forward in the mouth, just behind the upper front teeth, causing  air to escape over the tongue’s tip .

This misplacement results in a sound that resembles “th,” making “see” sound like “thee” or “zoo” like “thoo.” The condition, which can affect both children and adults, is often the focus of speech therapy, where various techniques are employed to retrain the tongue’s placement during speech, ensuring clearer and more accurate pronunciation.

What Does a Frontal Lisp Sound Like?

The phenomenon of a frontal lisp is a speech sound disorder that presents a unique challenge to individuals experiencing it and speech therapists tasked with its correction. This particular type of lisp is characterized by the tongue’s placement against or between the front teeth, which affects the production of certain consonant sounds.

The acoustic signature of a frontal lisp is most evident when the ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds are substituted with ‘th’ sounds, such as saying “thun” instead of “sun.” This speech pattern can significantly impact the  clarity of one child’s speech  and, if left unaddressed, may persist into adulthood, potentially affecting social interactions and self-esteem.

• Substitution of Sounds:  In a frontal lisp, the ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds are typically substituted with ‘th’ sounds. This is due to the tongue protruding between the front teeth or pressing against them when these sounds are attempted.
• Tongue Placement and Speech Clarity:  The clarity of speech is compromised as the tongue disrupts the normal flow of air needed to produce ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds correctly. This incorrect tongue placement can make words sound slurred or unclear, with common examples including “see” pronounced as “thee” and “zoo” as “thoo.”

A frontal lisp is more than a mere speech quirk; it is a correctable disorder that, when treated with the right therapeutic approach, can significantly improve speech clarity. Early detection and consistently practicing targeted speech exercises are key to managing a frontal lisp. With the support of a qualified speech therapist, individuals with a frontal lisp can achieve clear and confident communication, an essential component for effective daily

Causes of frontal lisps

Frontal lisps are a common speech sound disorder that can  affect individuals of various ages , though they are most frequently observed in children during their developmental years. The causes of frontal lisps are multifaceted and can range from physiological factors to behavioral habits. Understanding these causes is crucial for speech-language pathologists to develop effective treatment plans. By identifying the root of the problem, therapists can tailor their approach to each individual, fostering better outcomes in correcting this speech disorder.

• Incorrect Tongue Placement:  The primary cause of a frontal lisp is improper tongue placement against or between the upper and lower teeth during speech. This incorrect tongue posture alters the sound of specific consonants, particularly ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds, leading to the characteristic ‘th’ substitution.
• Developmental Factors:  In many cases, a frontal lisp is a part of typical speech development in young children. The lisp often resolves without intervention as they grow and refine their speech skills. However, if the lisp persists beyond the developmental phase, it may indicate a more entrenched speech pattern requiring professional attention.
• Habitual Behaviors:  Certain childhood habits, such as thumb sucking or prolonged use of a pacifier, can contribute to the development of a frontal lisp by encouraging forward tongue protrusion. These habits can affect the normal positioning of the tongue and teeth, leading to speech production issues.
• Neurological or Structural Irregularities:  In some instances, frontal lisps may arise from underlying neurological or structural irregularities, such as low muscle tone, tongue tie, or anatomical variations in the mouth and jaw. These conditions can impede the ability to achieve the correct tongue placement necessary for clear speech.
• Speech-Language Pathologist Intervention:  Speech-language pathologists play a pivotal role in diagnosing and treating frontal lisps. Through a comprehensive assessment, they can determine if the lisp is a functional speech disorder or a symptom of a more complex condition. Therapy typically involves articulation exercises, strategies to promote correct tongue positioning, and activities designed to reinforce the production of the affected sounds.

The differences between frontal lisp and interdental lisps

In speech sound disorders, understanding the nuances between different types of lisps is essential for accurate diagnosis and effective treatment. Frontal and interdental lisps, while similar in presentation, have distinct characteristics that set them apart. Speech-language pathologists must be adept at recognizing these differences to make correct diagnoses and provide tailored therapy that addresses the specific needs of each individual.

• Tongue Placement and Sound Production:  The frontal lisp is characterized by the tongue striking the back of the upper front teeth or protruding between them, causing ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds to be produced with a ‘th’ quality. In contrast, an interdental lisp involves the tongue protruding between the front teeth and extending past them, affecting not only ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds but potentially other sounds.
• Visual and Auditory Differences:  Visually, the frontal lisp may not be as apparent because the tongue’s incorrect position is somewhat concealed within the mouth. However, the interdental lisp is often visible during speech, with the tongue noticeably protruding. Audibly, the frontal lisp can give speech a more subtle lisp quality, whereas the interdental lisp typically produces a more pronounced distortion of speech sounds.
• Developmental and Habitual Aspects:  Frontal lisps are often seen as a part of a child’s normal speech development and may resolve naturally over time. Interdental lisps, on the other hand, are less commonly a developmental phase and may be more likely to persist without intervention, often associated with habits such as prolonged thumb sucking or other orofacial myofunctional disorders.
• Therapeutic Approaches:  Treatment for frontal lisps generally focuses on teaching the correct tongue position, just behind the upper front teeth, without touching them, to produce clear ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds. For interdental lisps, therapy may involve a broader range of techniques to correct tongue thrust and encourage the tongue to retract between the teeth during speech.

Can a frontal lisp be corrected?

Yes, a frontal lisp can typically be corrected with appropriate intervention. Speech-language pathologists often employ targeted articulation therapy to address the specific challenges of a frontal lisp. This therapy focuses on improving tongue placement and strengthening the muscles in a speech to produce ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds correctly.

Individuals with a frontal lisp can achieve clear and precise speech with consistent practice and possibly the use of specialized exercises and techniques. The success of correction depends on several factors,  including the individual’s age , the severity of the child’s lisp, and the frequency and quality of the therapy received.

How to eliminate frontal lisp in single words

Frontal lisps can be a stumbling block in clear communication, but they can be overcome with targeted strategies. Correcting a frontal lisp begins with mastering the production of specific sounds in isolation and practicing words, then transferring these skills to single words.

• Assessment by a Professional:  A speech-language pathologist can thoroughly assess the nature of the lisp and the best course of action.
• Tongue Placement Training:  Therapy often starts with exercises to train the tongue to rest behind the upper teeth rather than protruding between them.
• Sound Isolation:  The therapist will work on producing the ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds in isolation, ensuring the tongue tip is against the alveolar ridge.
• Visual and Tactile Cues:  Using mirrors and tactile feedback helps the child recognize the correct tongue and mouth movements.
• Practice with Single Words:  Once the child can produce the sound in isolation, practice begins with single words, starting with those where the sound occurs at the beginning, then the middle, and finally at the end.
• Repetition and Reinforcement:  Consistent practice and positive reinforcement are crucial. This can involve drills and games to make the practice enjoyable.
• Home Practice:  As prescribed by the therapist, regular exercises at home can reinforce the correct sound production learned during therapy sessions.
• Progress Monitoring:  Regular check-ins with the speech-language pathologist to monitor progress and adjust the therapy plan as needed.

With a structured approach, frontal and lateral lisps often can be effectively addressed, starting with single-word corrections. The key to success lies in the consistent and guided practice of the correct articulation techniques, ensuring that each child can communicate clearly and confidently.

Speech therapy

Speech therapy is a pivotal intervention for correcting a frontal lisp, a speech sound disorder where the tongue protrudes between the front teeth. This therapy is tailored to retrain the tongue’s placement during speech before lateral lisp occurs, thereby improving articulation and boosting verbal communication skills.

• Initial Evaluation:  A speech-language pathologist conducts a comprehensive assessment to identify the specific  characteristics of the frontal lisp  and any underlying causes.
• Customized Therapy Plan:  Based on the evaluation, a personalized therapy plan is developed, focusing on the client’s individual needs.
• Tongue Placement Exercises:  The therapist introduces exercises to achieve the correct tongue position, often behind the upper teeth, for sounds typically affected by a frontal lisp, such as ‘s’ and ‘z.’
• Articulation Practice:  Clients are guided through a series of articulation exercises, starting with sounds in isolation, then syllables, and gradually progressing to words, phrases, and conversational speech.
• Visual and Auditory Feedback:  The use of mirrors and recordings helps clients gain awareness of their articulatory movements and the sound quality of their speech.
• Home Practice Assignments:  To reinforce progress, therapists provide exercises for clients to practice at home, which is crucial for transferring skills learned in therapy to everyday speech.
• Regular Monitoring and Adjustment:  Ongoing sessions allow the therapist to monitor the client’s progress and adjust the therapy plan as necessary, ensuring continuous improvement.
• Parental or Caregiver Involvement:  Involving parents or caregivers in therapy is essential, as they can provide additional support and encouragement for practice outside of therapy sessions.

Speech therapy for a frontal lisp is a strategic and systematic process that requires active participation from the client and support from their environment. With the expertise of a speech-language pathologist, individuals can overcome a frontal lisp, leading to clearer speech and enhanced communication abilities.

Articulation therapy

Articulation therapy is a cornerstone in remedying a frontal lisp, a speech sound disorder characterized by improper or incorrect tongue placement during speech. This therapeutic approach is meticulously designed to correct the tongue’s positioning, ensuring the accurate production of sounds, particularly the ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds, commonly impacted by this type of lisp.

• Assessment of Speech Sounds:  A speech-language pathologist begins with a detailed assessment to identify which specific sounds are affected by the frontal lisp.
• Target Sound Selection:  The therapist selects target sounds for intervention, often starting with the most distorted sounds due to the lisp.
• Tongue Positioning Training:  Clients are taught the correct tongue placement, typically behind the upper front teeth, to produce the target sounds accurately.
• Use of Visual Aids:  Mirrors, diagrams, and other visual aids are employed to provide the client with a visual understanding of where their tongue should be positioned.
• Phonetic Placement Techniques:  The therapist uses techniques to guide the tongue to the correct position, which may include tactile cues.
• Sound Isolation:  Therapy often begins with practicing the target sound in isolation, ensuring the client can produce the sound correctly without the context of a word or sentence.
• Progressive Difficulty:  Once the sound is mastered in isolation, the client progresses to syllables, words, phrases, and spontaneous speech.
• Home Practice:  Consistent practice with exercises provided by the therapist is crucial for generalizing the correct sound production to everyday speech.
• Feedback and Reinforcement:  Continuous feedback is given during therapy sessions to reinforce correct sound production and adjust techniques as needed.
• Generalization Activities:  The therapist incorporates activities that encourage the client to use the correct articulation in various settings, promoting the natural use of the corrected speech pattern.

In conclusion, addressing a frontal lisp is a journey that combines professional guidance with personal diligence. The speech pattern can be reshaped with the right techniques and consistent practice. Whether you’re a parent seeking solutions for your child’s speech production or an adult looking to refine your speech, understanding the nature of a frontal lisp is the first step toward effective communication. With the support of a speech-language pathologist and targeted articulation therapy, the path to clearer speech is well within reach. Remember, overcoming a frontal lisp is not just about perfecting speech—it’s about unlocking the confidence to speak freely and be understood.

Frontal Lisp, Lateral Lisp

https://apps.asha.org/eweb/ashadynamicpage.aspx?cok=189faee7-ac32-4221-8c10-dc3f930f7c5a&pagename=archive&site=ashacms&webcode=coursesearchdetail

A multi-modal approach to intervention for one adolescent’s frontal lisp

https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.3109/02699206.2012.734366?tab=permissions&scroll=top

A Multi-Modal Approach to Intervention for One Adolescent’s Frontal Lisp

https://eric.ed.gov/?id=EJ989174

Lisps: What They Are and How to Deal With Them – WebMD

https://www.webmd.com/children/what-is-a-lisp#:~:text=A%20lisp%20is%20a%20speech,name%20for%20lisping%20is%20sigmatism.

(PDF) A multi-modal approach to intervention for one adolescent’s frontal lisp | Chanelle Cruz – Academia.edu

https://www.academia.edu/25732432/A_multi_modal_approach_to_intervention_for_one_adolescents_frontal_lisp

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Speech Therapy for a Lisp (Ultimate SLP Guide)

Speech pathologists treating speech sound disorders will no doubt want some tips and ideas for correcting a lisp in speech therapy. Many different speech errors are addressed in articulation therapy, and correct production of s and z requires some skill and hard work to accomplish. While your coworkers and the internet may offer good advice, it’s helpful to have all of that information in one location. So, if you are a speech therapist, make sure to bookmark this post and reference it often when you need new ideas for correcting that lisp!

What is a Lisp?

What, exactly, is a lisp?

A lisp falls under the realm of a speech sound disorder.

It involves the misarticulation of some specific speech sounds (sibilants), including s and z, as the result of inaccurate tongue placement. In addition, one must also simultaneously maintain the proper amount of expiratory air pressure. 

The Underlying Cause of a Lisp

What is the underlying cause of the lisp? 

Three possibilities include:

• an orofacial myofunctional disorder
• high-frequency hearing loss
• structural changes, such as missing teeth

Reference: 

Bauman-Waengler, J. A. (2013). In  Articulatory and phonological impairments: A clinical focus  (pp. 256–270). essay, Pearson Education Limited. 

Orofacial Myofuctional Disorder

One should consider the possibility of an orofacial myofuctional disorder. SLPs might also be familiar with the terms “tongue thrust” or “oral muscle pattern disorders”.

  According to ASHA , signs or symptoms of orofacial myofunctional disorders can include difficulty saying some sounds, such as the s sound. (Reference: Orofacial Myofunctional Disorders. (2023). Retrieved 5 June 2023, from https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/orofacial-myofunctional-disorders/)

The Academy of Orofacial Myofunctional Therapy reported that people with ‘ abnormal oral muscle patterns may suffer a lisp ‘ (reference:  (2023). Retrieved 5 June 2023, from  https://aomtinfo.org/myofunctional-therapy/ ).

And, from my own clinical experience and CEU learning (I took  Sandra Holtzman’s 28 hour CEU course ), it’s important to note that anything that is causing abnormal resting posture can be a culprit. And by that I mean, anything causing the incorrect placement of the tongue. Because if the tongue isn’t in that correct “starting place” for speech, correct pronunciation will not occur for many sounds.

I have personally encountered several students or clients through the years who presented with severe lisps and learned through parent interviews about present or past negative oral habits. 

The most common negative habits included sucking the thumb and going to bed with sippy cups. 

It is important to note, however, that an  interdental  lisp is considered developmentally appropriate in young children. So, if you are hearing more of a ‘th’ sound for ‘s’ when small children talk (“thun” for “sun”), this articulation error might correct itself in time. 

Hearing Loss

Another possible underlying cause of a lisp could be high-frequency hearing loss.

Structural Changes

It is also possible that structural changes can contribute to a lisp. Examples might include missing front teeth for children- or for adults, new dentures!

The Different Kinds of Lisps

You have likely heard of a frontal lisp or a lateral lisp, but there are actually several main types of lisps. 

It is very important to distinguish which type of lisp a child is experiencing. The correct diagnosis can help the SLP provide better feedback and support during speech therapy sessions.

For example, if the kind of lisp the student is exhibiting is an interdental lisp, he would need feedback to reposition the tongue tip in and angle up toward the alveolar ridge, as opposed to pushing out and forward between the front teeth. 

Some types of lisps include:

• interdental lisp
• addental lisp
• strident lisp
• palatal lisp
• lateral lisp

Read all about  the different types of lisps . 

Reference: Articulatory and Phonological Impairments: A Clinical Focus, Third Edition. By Jacqueline Bauman-Waengler

Correct Production of S and Z

S and z are both fricative sounds.

The s sound is a lingua-alveolar fricative sound. It is a voiceless sound, meaning the vocal folds do not vibrate. The z sound is voiced. 

The soft palate is raised during both s and z production. 

The jaw is in a high position, but it shifts forward slightly during the production of s.

S and z can be made with the “tongue tip up” (aka apico-alveolar) or the “tongue tip down” (predorsal-alveolar).

In either production, the lateral sides of the tongue need to be elevated and touch the sides of the upper top teeth (the upper molars). This allows for sagittal grooving of the tongue.

Also, it is important the sides of the tongue are high and raised so that air does not escape out of the sides of the mouth!

So basically, the tongue is wider at the back of the mouth, but more narrow at the tip. 

While the sides of the tongue are lifted, the middle of the tongue creates a funnel for airflow. 

The tongue tip lowers just slightly to create a channel to let the airflow pass through. 

For the “tongue tip up” production, there is a tiny gap where the air flows past between the narrow front or tip of the tongue and the alveolar ridge.

​If the s or z is produced as “tongue tip down”, the tongue is arched towards the palate. The tip touches the front bottom teeth.

This takes a lot of practice and coordination!

The airstream moves forward and out of the mouth. The airstream continues while the tongue remains in place.

References: 

Articulatory and Phonological Impairments: A Clinical Focus, Third Edition. By Jacqueline Bauman-Waengler

Marshalla, P. (2019). Chapter 25- Stimulating the Fricated Consonants. In The marshalla guide: A topical anthology of Speech Movement techniques for Motor Speech Disorders & articulation deficits. essay, Marshalla Speech and Language. 

Why Target a Lisp?

S and z are frequently occurring sounds. Professional help from a qualified speech-language pathologist is often necessary to improve speech production. Speech difficulties such as a lisp could potentially cause low self-esteem, especially during tasks that require speaking aloud in a group. 

It is also important to note that articulation and language disorders have been  linked to reading difficulties . 

S Words for Speech Therapy

Do you need some initial s, medial s, and final s words to use in speech therapy? Check out these  s word articulation lists . 

Z Words for Speech Therapy

This  Z Words for Speech Therapy articulation list  contains the z sound in the initial position, medial position, and final position of words. 

The Best Ways to Correct a Lisp

Eliminate negative oral habits.

First, any negative oral habits need to be eliminated. If a child is still sucking a thumb, using a pacifier, or going to sleep with a sippy cup, this should be addressed. If this is a long term habit, it may be challenging to break. 

Establish Normal Lingual Resting Posture

Correct tongue position is so important! In fact, it goes beyond just the tongue. 

Normal resting posture means:

• The tongue is lightly suctioned to the roof of the mouth.
• The tongue should NOT be flat. It should “live” within the dental arch.
• The front part, or tip, of the tongue, should be resting at the alveolar ridge- not against the insides of the front teeth. 
• The jaw is relaxed, and there is about 2-3 mm of space between the upper and lower teeth. 
• The lips are closed. We breathe through the nose. 

Reminders to “keep the tongue at home” can be useful during therapy sessions. Check out this Lisp Program with resources. 

Try Saying a “New Sound”

Try shaping the /s/ sound from /t/. This approach is known as the “whisper t”, in which one carefully taps the alevolar ridge while producing the /t/ sound. After that, blow more air in a controlled manner to create a “long t”. This part can take quite a bit of practice, but once mastered, should result in an isolated /s/ sound.

TS at the End of Words

Once the “long t” is mastered, final /ts/ words, such as  cats , can be introduced. Check out this Lisp Program , which includes a comprehensive set of individual words and phrases for practice. 

Utilize the Straw Technique

This is a favorite of mine! It was developed by SLP Vikki Usdan in 1976. It involves the use of a thin straw (such as a coffee straw) and a cup of water. Blowing bubbles through the tiny straw, which is held in place by the tongue tip at the alveolar ridge, is a great way to encourage the child’s tongue to be appropriately placed. Maintaining proper tongue placement and expiratory airflow allows bubbles, the perfect visual, to be created in the cup. Read more about  how to use the straw technique to correct a lateral lisp . 

Watch the Jaw

It is very important that the tongue can move separately from the jaw. Try using a mirror, or have the child place their hands on their cheeks to feel the movement. With the help of a speech-language pathologist, lingual-mandibular differentiation can be established. 

Comprehensive Correct that Lisp Program

It’s not uncommon for SLPs to feel- well-  frustrated  when trying to treat a lisp. The good news is there is an effective program , based on research, that can alleviate all that stress and help speech language pathologists finally feel confident when treating a lisp!

It all starts with teaching the foundational skills needed to ensure success. If the traditional articulation approach hasn’t worked, this program is an absolute must. That’s because it incorporates the basics of orofacial myology, which ensures that any underlying issues that might impact success are not missed.

​Speech therapists won’t have to wonder what steps to take next- everything is laid out. This is your ultimate, correct that lisp gameplan . 

In summary, there can be multiple underlying causes of a lisp. It is beneficial to first address any negative oral habits and teach normal resting posture. 

After this, there are several effective techniques that SLPs can use to correct a lisp.

This comprehensive program is a helpful tool for SLPs to use to treat a lisp. 

Related Articles:

• How To Use the Straw Technique for a Lateral Lisp
• S Words tor Speech Therapy
• Z Words for the Speech Therapy
• The Biggest Mistake I Made When Correcting a Lisp

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Online Speech Therapy For Lisp

When your child says "swing" does it sound like "thwing"? Does your child say, "thee" instead of "see"? Although undeniably cute, there’s a possibility that your child has a lisp.

Imperfections are part of the natural language acquisition process for all children. However, if your child has been mispronouncing /s/ and /z/ as /th/ sounds for a few months, you cannot shake off the possibility that they might have a lisp.

Lisping can be temporary; it may disappear as your child grows older. However, in many cases, lisps simply do not go away on their own. Children and even adults may require the help of a speech therapist or speech-language pathologist (SLP) to overcome their speech problems. Continuous lisping can cause a child to lose confidence in their communication skills.

As a parent, or an adult with a lisp, you can learn more about the speech condition, its causes, diagnosis, and treatment right here.

• What is a Lisp?
• What are the Different Types of Lisp?
• Tongue Thrust vs. Lisp: What’s the Difference?
• Can Lisping Affect a Person’s Life?
• What Causes a Lisp?
• How is a Lisp Recognized and Diagnosed?
• What Is The Treatment For Lisps?
• How Can Lisps Affect Adults?
• How Can Stamurai Help You Or Your Loved One With Lisp Assessment And Treatment?
• How Can Parents Help A Child Who Lisps?

1. What Is A Lisp?

Lisp is a common speech impairment. Lisping causes a person to mispronounce sibilant sounds such as /s/, /z/, /ts/, and /dz/. If a person has a lisp, they may say /th/ when they are trying to say /z/ or /s/. An example of a lisp is when someone wants to say “sleep” but ends up saying “theep.”

Lisps are caused by the incorrect placement of one's tongue in their mouth while speaking. During a lisp, the person's tongue generally touches, protrudes, or pushes against their teeth.

There are four different types of lisps depending on the person’s tongue placement and other characteristics. The differences may be subtle, but they are important for making the correct diagnosis.

2. What are the Different Types of Lisp?

Lisp type #1: frontal lisp or interdental lisp.

Interdental lisps or frontal lisps happen when the tongue pushes forward and peeks from behind the front teeth. Frontal lisp treatment includes speech therapy for children and adults.

Lisp Type #2: Palatal Lisp

A person may have trouble saying /s/ or /z/ correctly when their tongue rolls back and pushes against the roof of the mouth (palate). This type of lisp involves the soft palate or the roof of the mouth.

Lisp Type #3: Lateral Lisp

A person is said to have a lateral lisp when their tongue is at an almost normal position, but the air still manages to escape from one or both sides of their mouth while they talk. Sometimes, people also call it a slushie lisp because it sounds "wet" or "spitty".

Lisp Type #4: Dentalized Lisp

If a person has a dentalized lisp, the person’s tongue directs airflow forward by pushing against their front teeth. It may produce a “muffled” sound.

A lisp may become visible when a child is around 2-years old. As toddlers begin to string words together to form sentences, it becomes easier to spot the unique features of their speech such as lisps.

According to SLPs, dentalized and interdental lisps are common during a child's early language development phase. Your child may experience either form of lisps up until four-and-half years of age. During a child's language development phase, it becomes incredibly difficult to estimate whether the lisp is going to last or if they will grow out of it within a couple of months. Therefore, it is a good idea to consult an experienced speech language pathologist, especially if your child is lisping after their fourth birthday.

On the other hand, palatal and lateral lisps are not a common part of a child’s language acquisition journey. If your child is showing signs of palatal or lateral lisping, you should speak to an SLP immediately.

3. Tongue Thrust Vs. Lisp: What’s The Difference?

Tongue thrust is a myofunctional disorder that involves the muscles of the mouth and face. In tongue thrust, the tongue moves forward prominently when the person is either talking or swallowing. In this disorder, the tongue may sit too forward in the mouth or push against a person’s teeth at almost all times.

Tongue thrusting can cause a person to misarticulate or mispronounce while speaking. It may sound similar to a lisp.

Tongue thrusting can also cause a person to lisp.

Not treating tongue thrusting on time can lead to permanent dental issues. Therefore, it is important to get your child evaluated by an SLP followed by a dental surgeon, if necessary, to correct a tongue thrust.

4. Can Lisping Affect a Person’s Life?

Any speech impairment can have a severely negative impact on a person’s life. While lisping may seem innocuous since it does not affect the speaker’s understandability, it may take a toll on the speaker’s self-confidence and self-esteem.

Parents often feel concerned that their children may be bullied or teased by their classmates due to their lisps. Children may feel anxious while speaking in public. A lisp may affect a child's personal growth and mental health in the long run.

Many adults who lisp feel embarrassed and frustrated during conversations. They shy away from public speaking and socializing. The effects of lisping can follow a child into their adolescence and adulthood. Although small, this speech impairment can keep your child from achieving their full potential.

Lisps can affect you or your loved one and their quality of life. Thankfully, there are therapies and treatments for lisps that can either remove it or minimize its impact.

5. What Causes a Lisp?

In most cases, the incorrect placement of one's tongue in the mouth causes a lisp. However, other factors can contribute to a lisp. Other common causes of a lisp include -

• A child who has learned to pronounce the syllables and sounds incorrectly may speak with a lisp
• Incorrect or atypical alignment of the jaw can cause a person to lisp
• Tongue-tie or attachment of the tongue to the bottom of the mouth resulting in restricted movement can cause a lisp
• A tongue thrust may also cause a lisp in a child or an adult

To know more about what is causing your or your child’s lisp, you should speak to a healthcare professional and a licensed speech pathologist at the earliest.

6. How is a Lisp Recognized and Diagnosed?

In most cases, parents, teachers, school nurses, and pediatricians can understand if a child is lisping. Primary healthcare professionals can refer you to an SLP or speech therapist. An SLP is a qualified professional who has the knowledge, training, and resources to assess, evaluate and treat individuals with speech problems such as lisps.

Lisps can be of different types and they can vary in severity. Lisping can affect your child’s speech and communication skills. If you think your child has a lisp, it is a good idea to talk to a speech therapist or SLP.

Here’s what an SLP will check to assess your child’s speech –

• Your child’s medical history
• The anatomy of their mouth and tongue placement
• The presence of tongue-tie or tongue thrust
• Your child's social communication skills, language skills, and speech fluency
• The presence and absence of other speech disorders or impediments that can better explain a lisp-like condition

Only after a thorough assessment and evaluation, the SLP will work with you and your child to set up a therapy plan. In some early cases of lisping, the SLP may recommend waiting for a couple of weeks before starting treatment. In some very young children, a lisp may disappear naturally over time.

7. What Is The Treatment For Lisps?

A lisp may be a habit or it may occur due to the incorrect anatomy of one's mouth. Since habits become harder to break over time, the earlier you seek treatment for your child's lisp, the higher their chances of recovery.

Once a skilled speech language pathologist analyses your child’s lisp and identifies the potential causes, they can develop a bespoke plan for your child to achieve their communication goals.

The typical lisp treatment plan for a child may include –

• Exercises to increase the child’s awareness of where they are placing their tongue while speaking.
• Increasing the child’s awareness about different speech sounds
• Learning how to distinguish seemingly similar speech sounds
• Recognizing the target speech sounds and producing them correctly each time
• Teaching the child ways to pronounce complex languages – consonant & vowel combinations, and spontaneous sentences correctly
• Providing real-life settings to the child for the practice of correct pronunciations  outside the therapy setup

Every child struggling with lisps comes with unique needs. Therefore the intensity and frequency of lisp treatment vary for each child. Some children may see significant improvement within a couple of weeks, while others may require a good few months to speak without lisps.

The duration and intensity of lisp treatment will depend upon your child's age, how long they have been lisping, the frequency and type of lisp, other developmental conditions that affect their communication, the frequency of at-home practice, and awareness of mispronunciations, and their ability to self-correct.

8. How Can Lisps Affect Adults?

Adults may also lisp. The truth is – it’s never too late to seek treatment for lisping. Even you can benefit from speech therapy for lisp in adults.

You may be an adult who lisps because your lisp was never addressed by a speech therapist when you were young. It may result in repressed feelings of resentment, frustration, embarrassment, low confidence, and low self-esteem.

Therefore, most adults who seek treatment for lisps may also have to consider meeting with a counselor to address their negative feelings about speech and communication.

If you are an adult who lisps but doesn't want to seek treatment, that's alright too! As long as you are comfortable with the uniqueness of your speech, you should not feel forced to seek treatment for lisping.

Speech therapy for lisp in adults is similar to lisp treatment in children. You need to speak to an SLP to commence your treatment. The SLP will assess and evaluate your lisp and design a plan suited for your needs.

An additional challenge for adults is to find a local speech therapist who has a flexible schedule. However, you can bypass this problem by seeking speech therapy online for lisp.

Here at Stamurai, we can connect you to skilled & licensed speech language pathologists  who have the experience and knowledge to treat lisps and other speech disorders in adults.

9. How Can Stamurai Help You Or Your Loved One With Lisp Assessment And Treatment?

Stamurai has a team of certified speech therapists. We match each family with a highly trained speech therapist who can evaluate the individual’s speech and devise an online treatment plan for lisps. Speech therapy for lisps is provided online via one-on-one video conferencing to the client by the SLP.

The age of the client or child, and their cognition will influence their interactions with the therapist.

Online Speech Therapy for Lisps: Ages 0 to 3-years

A child between the ages of 0 to 3-years is incapable of following the instructions from an SLP via video calling. The parents of such a child will have to work directly with the SLP during the online therapy sessions to learn about different exercises and at-home practices to reduce lisping.

Online Speech Therapy for Lisps: Ages 3 to 6-years

Parents of toddlers and primary school-aged children can sit in during the video conferencing. They can learn valuable skills and lisp speech therapy exercises that can help the child overcome lisping. Parents can talk to the SLP directly to receive cues and tips for at-home skill-building. Parents receive direct feedback from the SLP and Stamurai team on the child's performance.

Online Speech Therapy for Lisps: Ages 7-years and above

Older children can attend the speech therapy video sessions alone, but parents can choose to participate in the process. The Stamurai team keeps parents in the loop with regular updates from each session.

Online Speech Therapy for Lisps: Adults

Adults can attend the video sessions alone or they can invite their family or friend to sit with them. If you attend Stamurai’s online speech therapy sessions for lisps and other such language & communication disorders, you will receive feedback, updates, and progress reports from our speech pathologists as per request.

10. How Can Parents Help A Child Who Lisps?

You will receive some useful tips from the SLP once your child begins treatment for lisp. Nonetheless, here are some suggestions from our SLPs for all parents who want to help their child overcome lisping.

Tip #1 to Help A Child Who Lisps: Become a Model for Correct Speech

Young children spend most of their time at home around their parents. It is the best opportunity for you to model correct speech for your children.

To model speech, ensure that you speak slowly, clearly, and correctly. Whenever saying a word that's new or unfamiliar, enunciate and break them down into syllables for your child to follow.

Always maintain normal eye contact while speaking to your child. If they continue to lisp, you can gently ask them to correct themselves. If your child is unaware of their mispronunciation and continues to lisp, do not ask them to repeat an incorrect pronunciation.

Tip #2 to Help A Child Who Lisps: Use the Mirror Technique

It is especially useful for school-aged children. You can stand in front of a mirror with your child, where both your faces are visible. Practice the /s/ and /z/ sounds and request your child to mimic your pronunciations.

Speak to an SLP to learn new ways of teaching your child to make the correct mouth movements.

Tip #3 to Help A Child Who Lisps: Drink From a Straw

While this technique seems simple, it works for children who may be lisping only due to incorrect placement of their tongue while speaking. Encourage your child to drink from a straw. Buy a bunch of colorful bamboo or metal straws to remain eco-friendly while continuing with the lisp speech therapy exercises.

Tip #4 to Help A Child Who Lisps: Learn and Teach the Butterfly Technique

It is a common technique used in speech therapy. According to this technique, prolong the /i/ when you say words like “tin” or “bin.” Feel how the edges of your tongue rise ever-so-slightly when you make the /i/ sounds like the wings of a butterfly.

Now, try to make /s/ and /z/ sounds while holding your tongue in the same position. Teaching this technique to your child will help them learn the correct position of the tongue while talking.

Tip #5 to Help A Child Who Lisps: Slowly Stop the Thumb-Sucking

Don't be abrupt or rude about it. However, you can encourage your child by using positive reinforcements to stop thumb-sucking. Thumb-sucking can disrupt how the tongue is naturally placed while talking and it can cause dental issues. Theoretically, it can worsen lisping in children.

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Mastering the “S” sound and Overcoming a Lisp

• June 21, 2023

Erin Vollmer MS, CCC-SLP

Swing…stop…sleepy…store. “S” is surely an important sound for a child to be able to articulate!

However, it’s common for children to have trouble producing the “S” sound. It can also be a difficult speech sound error for a child to correct, and may require an extra special “bag of tricks” from parents and Speech Therapists who are working with the child.

Here are some common things that go wrong when children try to make the “S” sound, and some pro tips for helping a child master this sneaky sound!

S Articulation Errors

Children are typically able to articulate the S sound by age 4, according to the American Speech-Language Hearing Association ( ASHA ).

What does it sound like when a child has trouble making an S sound?

One common error is known as a lisp .

There are actually two different types of lisps – interdental and lateral .

An interdental lisp occurs when a child’s tongue protrudes forward, between their teeth (similar to a TH sound) when he or she attempts to make an S sound.

A lateral lisp occurs when air escapes over the sides of a child’s tongue into the cheeks. The air and saliva in the sides of the cheeks make the S sound “slushy”, and this error can be a little trickier to correct.

Children can make other errors when attempting to make an S sound. For example, a child might substitute it with a T or D sound (known as a phonological process called stopping ).

Sometimes when the S is accompanied by another consonant sound (known as a consonant cluster ), a child will leave off the S sound completely, like saying “poon” for “spoon”).

Children might also substitute the 2 sounds in an “S” conant blend for a completely different sound (for example, “foon” for spoon).

There really are a lot of things that can go wrong when a child tries to make this sound. Now, what are some ways to teach children to master the S sound?

#1: Watch This

Show him or her what it looks like when you make an “S”. Explain how the muscles in your mouth move when you make the sound .

For example, “I put my tongue up almost to the roof of my mouth and make a little groove in the middle. Then, I make a little stream of air come through the middle of my mouth between my teeth!”.

Here are some ways you can give a child helpful visuals:

• Sit face to face and encourage him/her to watch your mouth.
• Use a mirror for the child to watch as he or she makes the “S” sound.
• Demonstrate correct oral motor positioning with a mouth puppet (like this one).
• Show YouTube articulation videos, like this one from Peachie Speechie.

#2: Turn a Long “T” into “S”

Here’s a clear, effective technique for teaching a child with a lisp how to make an “S” sound correctly. It’s known as the “Long”T ” Method”, and has been recommended by the well-known SLP Pamela Marshalla.

• Make sure the child can make a “T” sound.
• Now, ask the child to make a “T” but to stretch out the sound or blow air for longer at the end of the sound.
• Show the child how to do this, making an elongated, exaggerated “T” sound.
• Ask the child to make a “long “T” sound” again, this time lifting the tip of the tongue up to the roof of their mouth.

#3: The Butterfly Position/Aspiration Trick

#4: use fun sound associations.

Follow the typical hierarchy of teaching a sound; start by helping the child make the sound by itself (in “isolation”). Then, have the child practice the sound in a certain position of simple syllables (ex: beginning or end). After that, it’s words, phrases, and sentences!

• Rattlesnake Jake game
• Sneaky, Snacky Squirrel game
• Silly Sally book
• Play in a sandbox
• Name pairs of objects as same or different
• Take a walk and play, I Spy

Additional Resources

The “S” sound can be a tricky one for children and parents to tackle without the help of a speech language pathologist! Because an articulation disorder can affect how well others can understand a child at home, school, and around their peers, it’s truly important to address. With a few specialized techniques, your child can master the “S” sound!

If you have concerns about your child’s speech and language skills, specialized services from a Speech-Language Pathologist can help. An initial evaluation can help determine what difficulties your child is having. Ongoing individualized therapy can include techniques and activities to help improve these areas.

TherapyWorks offers speech therapy, occupational and physical therapy both in person (in Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio) and through teletherapy (nationwide). If you would like to learn more, or discuss your child’s specific needs, please don’t hesitate to reach out to TherapyWorks!

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Lateral Lisp: What Is It and How to Fix It

Have you ever wondered why your child can’t seem to get rid of that lateral lisp? It sounds as if they are saying “thush” instead of “this”. Lateral lisps can be so persistent and frustrating to correct. With proper intervention, your child should be able to reduce or eliminate their lateral lisp. If you want to know more about lateral lisps, what causes a lateral lisp, and how to help your child, read more:

What is a lateral lisp?

What causes a lateral lisp, who diagnoses and treats lateral lisps, how to tell if my child has lateralized s, how can i help my child reduce their lateral lisp, how to say /s/ the right way.

A lateral lisp occurs when a child produces the speech sounds /s/ and /z/ with airflow that goes out to the side of the mouth, instead of down the middle. This results in a “slushy” or wet-sounding speech production. Lateralized speech sounds are often more difficult for listeners to understand.

It can cause poor speech intelligibility which means people have a difficult time understanding what is being said. However, it is important to understand that lateralized sounds should be corrected. Why? Because if speech sounds are not corrected, they will likely persist into adolescence and adulthood.

Study shows that speech sound disorders are the most common type of childhood speech and language disorder. It is four times more common in boys than girls.

A lateral lisp can be caused by many things, including incorrect tongue placement, teeth that are not properly aligned, or mouth muscles that are too weak. Oftentimes, a combination of these factors contributes to a child developing a lateralized lisp.

For example, if a child has teeth that are not properly aligned, this can cause the tongue to be placed in an incorrect position. This then can lead to a lateral lisp. It is important to know what causes a lateral lisp because this will guide treatment.

Speech therapy can correct the lateral lisp

A speech-language pathologist (SLP) is the best professional to diagnose and treat a lateral or frontal lisp. After completing a comprehensive speech and language evaluation, the SLP will be able to develop a treatment plan that is specific to your child’s needs based on what causes a lateral lisp.

Lateralized lisp is easy for parents to detect since it produces the distinctive “slushy” sound. Listen closely to your child as he vocalizes noises or words containing the “s” and “z” sounds. If your youngster has articulation problems, see an SLP. Early treatment of a lateralized S might help him acquire correct speech patterns more easily.

Other signs that your child may have a lateral lisp include:

Tongue placement: You may notice that your child places his tongue between his teeth when producing the “s” and “z” sounds.

Teeth placement: You may also notice that your child’s teeth are not properly aligned. This can cause the tongue to be placed in an incorrect position, which then can lead to a lateral lisp.

Mouth muscles: If your child has weak mouth muscles, this can also contribute to a lateral lisp.

The most important thing you can do is to seek speech therapy intervention from a certified speech-language pathologist. Working with an SLP, your child will learn how to produce the /s/ and /z/ sounds correctly.

Speech-language pathologists are experts in helping children with speech sound disorders. If your child has a lateral lisp, don’t wait to seek help! The sooner you get started, the better.

The development of the sound /s/ is a process. Babies and young children typically start by making the sound /s/ with air coming out of the mouth. This is called an “air leak.”

As babies and young children develop, they learn to make the sound /s/ with the tongue tip in between the teeth. This is called interdental production. The next step is to produce the sound with the tongue tip behind the top teeth. This is called alveolar production. Finally, children learn to produce the sound with the tongue tip at the back of the teeth. This is called velar production.

Most children will go through all of these stages before they are able to produce the sound /s/ correctly. The speech sound /s/ can be difficult for some children to produce correctly. This is because the /s/ is a fricative. A fricative is a speech sound that is produced by narrowing the speech organs and then releasing air through the narrow opening. Coordinating all of the speech muscles to produce a fricative correctly can be difficult, especially for young children.

If your child is having difficulty producing the speech sound /s/, you may want to try these tips:

Have your child place their tongue tip behind their top teeth. You can practice this by using a lollipop or straw and put it behind the top teeth. This will help them get the tongue placement correct.

Once your child has the hang of placement, have them practice producing the speech sound /s/ while holding their tongue tip in place.

Keep the sides of their tongue up and touch the back molars.

Tell your child to direct the airflow out through the middle of their mouth. This is easier if you associate the sound with the sound of an animal, such as a snake for /s/ and a bee for /z/.

Remember, it takes time and practice for a child to learn how to produce speech sounds correctly. Be patient and encourage your child to keep trying!

Isolation, Initial, Medial, and Final /s/

Now that we’ve talked about how to produce the speech sound /s/, let’s talk about isolation, initial, medial, and final /s/. Learning a new sound, like /s/, can be tricky. That’s why it’s important to break it down into smaller pieces.

Isolation is when a speech sound is produced by itself, without any other sounds. For example, the word “sun” has three speech sounds: /s/, /u/, and /n/. To practice isolation, have your child say the /s/ sound by itself.

Initial is when a speech sound is at the beginning of a word. For example, the word “sun” has three speech sounds: /s/, /u/, and /n/. The speech sound /s/ is in the initial position.

Medial is when a speech sound is in the middle of a word. For example, the word “sun” has three speech sounds: /s/, /u/, and /n/. The speech sound /u/ is in the medial position.

Final is when a speech sound is at the end of a word. For example, the word “sun” has three speech sounds: /s/, /u/, and /n/. The speech sound /n/ is in the final position.

When you’re teaching your child a new speech sound, it’s important to practice all four positions: isolation, initial, medial, and final. This will help your child be able to use the sound correctly in any word or sentence.

Let’s Practice!

Now that we’ve talked about how to produce the speech sound /s/ and the different positions of /s/, it’s time to practice!

Here are some words that your child can practice:

Now it’s your turn! Try saying these words out loud with your child. Can they produce the speech sound /s/ in all four positions?

Fantastic! Your child is on their way to producing the speech sound /s/ correctly. Keep up the good work!

5 tips from a speech therapist on how to help your child at home:

There are different ways that you can help your child at home. Here are 5 tips from a speech therapist on how to help your child reduce their lateral lisp:

Model the correct way to say /s/ and /z/ sounds everyday. This means that you should say the sound correctly and have your child imitate you.

Make sure that your child is using a correct speech production when they say /s/ and /z/ sounds. This means that the airflow should be directed down the middle of their mouth, not out to the side.

Correct your child’s speech errors in a positive and encouraging way. This means that you should not criticize or make fun of your child’s speech.

Encourage your child to practice their /s/ and /z/ sounds often. This can be done by having them read aloud or play sound games such as “I Spy” with objects that start with “/s/ and /z/ sounds.

Be patient! It takes time and practice for a child to learn how to produce speech sounds correctly.

If you follow these tips, you will be well on your way to helping your child reduce their lateral and frontal lisp. Remember, speech therapy intervention from a certified speech-language pathologist is the best way to help your child eliminate their speech sound disorder. At Better Speech, we offer online speech therapy services convenient for you and tailored to your child's individual needs. Our services are affordable and effective - get Better Speech now.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will my child outgrow a lateral lisp?

Most children do outgrow a lateral lisp, whether through speech therapy or naturally on their own. However, the 'wait and see' method is less common now, and earlier intervention is typically utilized as it has been shown to benefit children to begin speech therapy earlier. So whether or not a child will outgrow their lateral lisp simply depends on therapy, or whether or not they were going to naturally outgrow the lisp on their own.

What can I do to help my child with a lateral lisp?

How long does it take to fix a lateral lisp?

What are the risks of not fixing a lateral lisp?

Is there anything I can do to prevent a lateral lisp?

About the Author

Mikee Larrazabal

I am a Speech-Language Pathologist with 14 years of experience working with children and adults who have communication difficulties. I completed my Bachelor of Science degree in Health Science at Cebu Doctors' University and have been helping people overcome their communication challenges ever since.

I have worked with individuals of different ages, including toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children, adults and seniors. I'm passionate about speech therapy and take great satisfaction in helping people overcome their communication challenges and improve their lives through better communication skills. In my spare time I like reading books, going hiking in nature and taking care of my dog Locas.

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Home » Blog » General » Understanding IEP Goals for Addressing a Lateral Lisp: A Comprehensive Guide

Understanding IEP Goals for Addressing a Lateral Lisp: A Comprehensive Guide

Welcome to my blog! In this post, we will explore the importance of addressing speech and language difficulties in Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and specifically focus on understanding Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals for addressing a lateral lisp. If you are a parent, teacher, or professional working with individuals who have a lateral lisp, this guide will provide you with valuable insights and strategies to support their social and emotional development.

What is a lateral lisp?

A lateral lisp is a speech sound disorder characterized by the mispronunciation of the /s/ and /z/ sounds. Instead of producing these sounds with the tongue tip against the alveolar ridge (the bumpy area behind the upper front teeth), individuals with a lateral lisp produce them with air escaping over the sides of the tongue. This results in a slushy or “slushy” sound.

Common causes of a lateral lisp include tongue thrust, structural abnormalities, or incorrect tongue placement during speech production. Regardless of the cause, a lateral lisp can have a significant impact on an individual’s social and emotional development.

The role of IEP goals in addressing a lateral lisp

An Individualized Education Program (IEP) is a legal document that outlines the specific educational goals and services for students with disabilities. When it comes to addressing a lateral lisp, setting clear and specific IEP goals is crucial. These goals not only target the improvement of speech sounds but also support social and emotional development.

By addressing a lateral lisp through IEP goals, we can help individuals improve their communication skills, increase self-confidence, and enhance their overall social interactions. It is important to remember that speech and language difficulties can significantly impact an individual’s ability to form and maintain relationships, express their thoughts and feelings, and navigate social situations.

Components of effective IEP goals for a lateral lisp

When developing IEP goals for a lateral lisp, it is important to consider the following components:

Clear and measurable objectives

IEP goals should be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART). This ensures that progress can be accurately measured and that the goals are attainable within a reasonable timeframe.

Targeting specific speech sounds and techniques

IEP goals should focus on improving the production of specific speech sounds, such as /s/ and /z/. Additionally, techniques such as tongue placement exercises, airflow control, and auditory discrimination can be incorporated to address the underlying causes of the lateral lisp.

Incorporating functional communication skills

IEP goals should not only target the improvement of speech sounds but also focus on enhancing functional communication skills. This includes teaching individuals how to use alternative strategies, such as using visual cues or gestures, to compensate for speech difficulties in social settings.

Considering individual needs and abilities

Each individual with a lateral lisp is unique, and their IEP goals should reflect their specific needs and abilities. It is important to consider factors such as age, cognitive abilities, and motivation when developing goals that are tailored to the individual’s circumstances.

Examples of IEP goals for addressing a lateral lisp

Here are some examples of IEP goals that can be used to address a lateral lisp:

Goal 1: Improve articulation of /s/ and /z/ sounds in all word positions

By the end of the IEP period, the student will produce the /s/ and /z/ sounds correctly in all word positions (initial, medial, and final) in 80% of opportunities, as measured by speech sound assessments.

Goal 2: Increase awareness and self-monitoring of speech production

By the end of the IEP period, the student will demonstrate increased awareness of their speech production errors and utilize self-monitoring strategies (e.g., visual cues, verbal reminders) to correct a lateral lisp in 90% of opportunities, as measured by self-assessment and observation.

Goal 3: Enhance communication skills in social settings

By the end of the IEP period, the student will effectively communicate their thoughts and feelings in social settings, using alternative strategies (e.g., gestures, visual aids) to compensate for any residual lateral lisp, as measured by teacher and peer feedback.

Strategies for achieving IEP goals

There are several strategies that can be implemented to help individuals achieve their IEP goals for addressing a lateral lisp:

Speech therapy techniques and exercises

A speech-language pathologist can provide targeted therapy techniques and exercises to improve speech sound production. These may include tongue placement exercises, airflow control exercises, and auditory discrimination activities.

Incorporating assistive technology and visual aids

Assistive technology, such as speech therapy apps or visual aids, can be used to support individuals in practicing and generalizing their speech sounds. These tools can provide visual feedback and reinforcement, making the learning process more engaging and effective.

Collaborating with teachers, parents, and other professionals

Collaboration with teachers, parents, and other professionals is essential for supporting individuals with a lateral lisp. By working together, we can ensure that the strategies and techniques used in therapy are reinforced in other environments, such as the classroom or home.

Monitoring progress and adjusting IEP goals

Monitoring progress and making necessary adjustments to IEP goals is crucial for ensuring continued growth and improvement. Here are some strategies to consider:

Importance of ongoing assessment and data collection

Regular assessment and data collection allow us to track progress and identify areas that may require additional support or modification of goals. This can be done through formal assessments, informal observations, and self-assessment tools.

Strategies for tracking progress and making necessary adjustments

Progress can be tracked through data collection, such as frequency counts, accuracy measures, and self-assessment ratings. Based on this data, adjustments can be made to the therapy plan or IEP goals to ensure that they remain relevant and effective.

Regular communication with the IEP team and stakeholders

Open and regular communication with the IEP team, including parents, teachers, and other professionals, is essential for monitoring progress and making informed decisions. This allows for collaboration and ensures that everyone is working towards the same goals.

Addressing a lateral lisp is crucial for supporting social and emotional development. By utilizing IEP goals that are tailored to the individual’s needs and abilities, we can help individuals improve their speech sounds, enhance their communication skills, and ultimately thrive in social settings. If you are a parent, teacher, or professional working with individuals who have a lateral lisp, I encourage you to seek professional help and utilize IEP goals as a roadmap for their success. Start your EverydaySpeech Free trial here and embark on a journey towards improved social emotional learning and speech therapy resources.

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Speech Therapy for Adults With Lisp

If you have a lisp, you might spend time wondering if it’s too late to correct it.

This is a common feeling for adults with lisps.

The good news is that you can receive speech therapy for your lisp at any age.

There are many reasons why adults seek a speech therapist to help with their lisp.

You may feel that correcting your lisp will increase your confidence and improve your communication.

Whatever your reason for wanting to improve your lisp, speech therapy is a great option for adults with lisps.

What Is A Lisp?

When you have a lisp, this means that you have trouble producing the sounds ‘s’, ‘sh’, and ‘z’.

This means you may have more difficulty pronouncing words with the ‘s’, ‘sh’, or ‘z’ sounds.

A lisp typically stems from problems with articulation of speech.

Articulation is one component of speech that can affect how you sound, and how well others understand you.

RELATED: What Makes Your Speech Sound The Way It Does?

This is caused by incorrect placement of your tongue.

Your tongue is a very important part of producing speech .

This incorrect placement may be due to learned habits, but it may also be caused by another underlying disorder.

First, let’s take a closer look at the different types of lisps.

Types Of Lisps

There are four different types of lisps you may have.

How you address your speech concerns will depend on which type of lisp you have.

Let’s take a more in depth look at each kind of lisp.

Interdental Lisp

Interdental lisps are also called frontal lisps.

They are the most common type.

Someone with a frontal lisp pushes their tongue forward too far in their mouth.

This causes it to sit between your front teeth when you speak ‘s’ or ‘z’ sounds.

This tongue placement is why sounds are distorted.

Often, these ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds will come out as a ‘th’ sound instead.

Dental Lisp

If you have a dental lisp, your tongue rests on your two front teeth when you speak.

This is slightly different than an interdental lisp because your tongue doesn’t go between your teeth.

This means that the air is blocked at the furthest point forward in the mouth, which muffles the sound.

Lateral Lisp

One of the telltale signs of a lateral lisp is when it sounds like you have excess saliva in your mouth.

That sound happens because of how air escapes your mouth when you speak.

Air escapes over the sides of your tongue instead of through the front of your mouth.

Usually, this is because the sides of your tongue are raised more than they should be.

Otherwise, someone with a lateral lisp often has correct tongue placement.

Palatal Lisp

Having a palatal lisp means that air is blocked by your tongue at the hard or soft palate.

These are two areas on the roof of your mouth.

If you run your tongue along the roof of your mouth, you’ll first feel a hard area.

This is your hard palate.

If you move your tongue backward, towards your throat, it will change to a softer area.

This is your soft palate.

Palatal lisps are the least common type of lisp.

What Causes Adults to Lisp?

Adults lisp due to the incorrect motor pattern of their tongue positioning.

When you have a lisp, the position of your tongue distorts the airflow required to make sounds like ‘s’, ‘sh’, and ‘z’.

As with other adult communication challenges , there are several different factors that cause lisps in adults.

You may have learned incorrect ways of producing the ‘s’ and ‘z’ sounds as a kid and never learned how to fix these incorrect habits.

Your tongue is a muscle, and just like a muscle it needs to be trained to work to the best of its ability.

But there are other possible factors, too.

We’ll explore some of these factors more in depth.

Tongue Ties

A tongue tie is a common reason why adults may have a lisp.

A tongue tie is where your tongue is attached to the bottom of your mouth by a tight band of tissue.

This prevents your tongue from moving the way it should, making it more difficult for you to pronounce certain sounds.

Tongue ties are typically present at birth and sometimes require surgery to correct.

Tongue Thrust

Tongue thrust is a type of orofacial myofunctional disorder that happens when your tongue protrudes farther forward than it should.

This will obstruct the airflow required to produce certain sounds.

The protrusion of your tongue may then impact your speech, eating, and swallowing.

RELATED: Getting A Better Understanding Of Tongue Thrust

Misaligned Jaw or Teeth

Another common reason for a lisp is having problems with the alignment of your jaw.

Your mouth’s range of motion depends on having a correctly aligned jaw.

If you have a misaligned jaw, you may experience problems saying sibilant words.

Sibilant words are words that require directing a stream of air toward your teeth using your tongue.

RELATED: How Do Your Teeth Affect Speech

This is why a misaligned jaw often results in a lisp.

Similarly, incorrectly aligned teeth can contribute to a lisp.

If you have an overbite, open bite, or space between your teeth that has never been corrected, this can make it more difficult for you to produce certain sounds.

How Do You Know If You Have A Lisp?

If you have a lisp, you should be able to both hear and feel it.

Try saying a word with a ‘s’ or ‘sh’ sound like the word “shoes.”

If you have a lisp, you may feel your tongue between your teeth as you make this sound.

Often, when people with a lisp try to say a word with ‘s’ or ‘sh’, it will come out sounding more like a ‘th’ sound.

For example, the word “shoes” might sound more like “thooth.”

Most adults with lisps are aware of their speech patterns.

Many adults don’t mind having a lisp and don’t feel like they need to fix it.

However, there are ways that having a lisp may be impacting your personal and professional life.

Adults who lisp may feel stigma surrounding how they speak.

If you are motivated to correct your lisp, speech therapy is a good option.

How Can Adult Speech Therapy for Lisp Help?

The goal of speech therapy for adults with lisps is to retrain the tongue to correctly position itself.

This helps you begin producing clear ‘s’, ‘sh’, and ‘z’ sounds.

If you feel that your lisp is impacting your quality of life, confidence, or career, starting speech therapy is a great first step to seeing speech improvements.

Seeking out speech therapy services for adults  is a great first step towards improving your lisp.

A speech therapist will start with a speech evaluation to determine which type of lisp you have.

Once your type of lisp is determined, a speech therapist will give you strategies, techniques, and exercises to help retrain your facial muscles and learn how to better position your tongue.

They’ll even give you ways to practice outside of your speech therapy sessions.

Speech therapy for adults with lisps typically includes:

• Speech therapist identifying the type of lisp you have
• Listening to instructions on improving your tongue placement
• Learning to control your facial muscles to produce a more accurate sound
• Using sentences and conversation to practice target words
• Practicing breath control
• Practice with moving your tongue and lips in specific ways

Unlike children, adults are better able to understand how sounds are produced.

This is a benefit in speech therapy because you will be able to more easily understand how to retrain your facial muscles.

A speech therapist will assign you exercises to repeat over and over in several different contexts.

Exercises range from practicing specific words to repeating tongue twisters or performing various facial exercises.

The types of exercises your speech therapist assigns you will depend on the type of lisp you have and your individual progress.

Your speech therapist will repeatedly reassess your progress and adjust exercises continually to challenge you as your speech improves.

Throughout your speech therapy journey, you will become more aware of your speech and producing accurate sounds will begin to come more naturally.

RELATED: Speech Therapy Treatments For Children With Lisp

How Long Does Adult Speech Therapy for Lisping Take?

Everyone learns and improves at a different pace, so the length of your speech therapy journey will depend on several factors.

How long it takes will partially depend on how often you meet with a speech therapist and how much you prioritize practicing your speech at home.

When you put your best effort and focus into your sessions, you will see the most effective and productive improvements.

The more you practice at home, the quicker you will see results.

Book Your Appointment With District Speech Today

Whether you’re experiencing stigma or trouble personally or professionally, having a lisp can feel alienating.

If you have a lisp that you would like to correct, the quickest and most effective way to see improvements is through speech therapy.

At District Speech and Language Therapy, our team of therapists are experienced and trained in helping people improve their lisp.

Book your appointment with District Speech today.

District Speech and Language Therapy specializes in speech therapy, physical therapy, and occupational therapy solutions, for both children and adults, in the Washington D.C and the Arlington Virginia areas.

Speech Therapy - Mio 4+

Spelling game for kids toddler, designed for ipad.

• 4.6 • 3.4K Ratings
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3.4K Ratings

A very useful app with speech therapy exercises

This application was recommended to me by my speech therapist. In order for the child to do the exercises given by our speech therapist in an interactive way. At first, I was skeptical of this and thought that we will do exercises without app. But my child is very hyperactive and didn’t want to repeat after me. But when he sees other children do exercises in the app he repeats enthusiastically. I liked how the exercises are sorted and we play 2 levels every day, it is 6 exercises. We are already at level 30 and I can see that my child has got better control of his tongue and cheeks. These exercises help him to pronounce words better. At the first level, he could not pronounce the word “computer”, and now he speaks the word as an adult. Thanks for such a great app.

Developer Response ,

Thank you for your re­view! We are very glad that you like the app. In order to make a high-quality application, we have analyzed children's interactions with our application. We collected information from leading speech therapists. This made us aware that children subconsciously replicate other children's facial expressions. We have developed a unique program with pronunciation exercises for children. With each level, there are specially selected exercises that alternately develop the muscles of the tongue, the cheeks and jaws. We congratulate you on reaching the 30th level. This is half of the ideal result. We hope as you reach the 100th level your child will speak very purely as an adult. We want to hear more of your feedback in the email about recognition and animation? What exercises do your child like best? We also recommend using stickers in the message. Expect new app updates. Every time we want to add something new and exciting for the development of children. And your feedback helps us a lot. Thank you for new interesting ideas and stories about your experience using our app. We try to do every­thing to make the ap­pli­ca­tion be use­ful for chil­dren. If you have any ad­vice you can con­tact us by email info@mi­o­gym.­com and we will dis­cuss them in more de­tail. Thank you!

From a speech therapist: DO NOT DOWNLOAD

I am a licensed speech language pathologist and YOU SHOULD NOT GET THIS APP!!!! This app uses non speech oral motor exercise (i.e., a technique that does not require a child to produce a sound) which are unethical and SHOULD NOT BE DONE. There is countless articles and literature that state explicitly why these exercise are counterproductive and not an appropriate treatment for speech sound errors! Just google “non speech oral motor exercises” and the top results will be articles discussing why these strategies are not recommended. Do not fool yourself into thinking moving your jaw around, blowing, or sticking out your tongue will improve your child’s articulation or speech production. If you’re working on imitation skills, fine go ahead, BUT DO NOT USE THESE EXERCISES FOR ARTICULATION OR PHONOLOGICAL THERAPY!!! Furthermore, the app is highly inaccurate! It wasn’t even directed at my face and it gave me credit. This could help your child practice things INACCURATELY and could further impede your practice. Go to a licensed speech therapist that does their research and stay away from apps like this!

Thank you for your re­view! Our application has not only non speech oral motor exercises but also speech exercises. The article notes that «Between 71.5% and 85% of practicing clinicians use some type of NSOMEs in therapy to change children's speech productions». Miogym app is an additional tool to improve the result of speech therapy and it is not positioned as the main therapy. We will be happy to discuss your opinion in more detail. Please email us at [email protected] Many factors affect the quality of recognition of an exercise. We had 2 versions of the application on the developing stage with different recognition configs. We gave them to the kids and watched them use different versions. One version of the application was completely controlled by recognition and the other was partially controlled. Most children could not perform the exercises correctly. And because of this, they were very upset and quickly lost interest in these exercises when the game was fully dependent on recognition.  Therefore, we have developed an algorithm that helps children do exercises without losing interest in doing them.

Excellent choice for Toddlers

Personally, I'm always on the lookout for quality and engaging games for children that are not only entertaining but also beneficial for their development. This game undoubtedly meets these criteria. I recommend all parents to try this game together with their little ones. It helps develop various skills such as logic, language, and attention in a very fun way. I liked puzzles of different shapes with animations the most

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