How to Get Rid of a Lisp with Speech Therapy

It is not uncommon for children to have lisps. So for this blog we take a deep look at exactly what a lisp is, the different types of lisp, and how speech therapy can be an effective treatment.

What is a Lisp?

A lisp is a common speech impediment that affects many children in the early years of speech development. When individuals try to make the /s/ or /z/ sound, lisps happen because of improper tongue placement in their mouths. This placement disrupts airflow, changing the intended sound of words. What is considered a cute quirk can become a problematic issue with communication later in life. Not all children will need speech therapy to overcome a lisp, but they should get it when they need it.

The Four Types of Lisps

Although many people think that there is only one form of lisp, the “Cindy Brady,” there are four distinct types.

Interdental Lisp

An interdental lisp occurs when the tongue protrudes between the front teeth, causing /s/ or /z/ sounds to sound like /th/. Many children with interdental lisps know they are saying certain sounds incorrectly but still need to practice correct tongue placement. Children can outgrow this lisp by age five but it frequently requires therapy.

Dentalized Lisp

If a child’s tongue presses against his teeth when making the /s/ or /z/ sound, he may have a dentalized lisp. It is similar to an interdental lisp, except that the tongue presses on the front teeth instead of through them. Some children will grow out of this lisp over time, but often it can linger until therapy is provided.

Lateral Lisp

A lateral lisp sounds wet or slushy. This happens because air is flowing out of the side of the tongue, creating a consistent /l/ sound. It can sound like the child’s mouth has excessive saliva. The primary causes of a lateral lisp are poor jaw stability and incorrect positioning of the tongue.

Palatal Lisp

A palatal lisp happens when the tongue touches the mouth’s roof – the palate – when attempting to make the /s/ sound. Some individuals with a palatal lisp experience articulation challenges with the /z/ sound and sometimes the /r/ sound. This occurs when people roll their tongue too far back when speaking.

What Causes a Lisp?

So, why do people have lisps? At this time, it’s unknown what causes a lisp. Some children develop one when learning speech and eventually grow out of it. Others have a lisp as a result of structural irregularities within their mouth. Hearing loss can contribute to a lisp because of their inability to hear sounds and imitate them properly. What is most important is making sure that you watch the lisp and see if therapy is needed.

Interdental and dentalized lisps are the most common in speech development. If the child is over the age of 4 ½ and their speech is garbled, it’s time for some therapy to help them reverse the effect.

When and How to Help a Child with a Lisp

Lisps can be frustrating for children. Many kids develop lisps and then outgrow them. Frontal protrusion lisps are often the type that goes away naturally, while lateral lisps require therapy. If your child has a lisp, practice patience. Be relaxed and calm. Often, kids can improve lisps on their own with a lot of practice. You can help children achieve proper tongue placement by having them close their teeth when attempting the /s/ sound. There is also a technique called the “butterfly.” When saying the s sound, have children try to lift the sides of their tongue. This approach should keep the tongue from protruding through the front teeth.

If your child still has a lisp after they turn five, or if you notice their lisp is getting worse as time goes by, it is likely time to see a doctor or specialist. The concern is that by the time they reach kindergarten age, their articulation should be progressing well. Reading and writing skills are tied to articulation, and their academic progress can suffer due to the lisp.

How Does Lisp Speech Therapy Work?

Can you get rid of a lisp? Fortunately, yes. Articulation therapy is the most common treatment used. The therapist conducts a test to see if the child can hear certain sounds properly and determine which ones are problematic. Contrast words are also used to test the child on subtle differences of sound. Therapy then focuses on when the sound ends; beginning, middle, or end. The focus is then on single sounds, syllables, whole words, phrases, and then sentences. The child then moves into practicing in controlled conversations like discussions during a meal.

Children can remove lisps through other specially-designed programs that specialists administer. They may use auditory bombardment, which is an intense, repetitive pronunciation of the /s/ and /z/ sounds. After enough exposure, children begin to internalize and use correct articulation.

With speech therapy at home a choice today, children everywhere can receive help to remove their lisps.

If children and families do not apply their full energy and dedication to therapy, there is a risk of the lisp returning. In some cases, ongoing maintenance therapy is needed, depending on the severity of the lisp.

Why is Seeking Lisp Treatment So Important?

While many people view a toddler lisp as cute and adorable, it can have some harmful mental effects later in life. Lisps can directly affect academic performance and create negative habits in school. During the tween and teen years, children can be cruel to one another, and it’s especially true if you have a speech impediment. When adults attempt to build up their careers, they may not be taken nearly as seriously if they have a lisp. It’s unfortunate that we hold a bias against folks who have speech issues, and we must make sure our children have the best future ahead of them by getting much-needed speech therapy.

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