What is a Lisp? Understanding the Causes and Treatment Options
A lisp is a type of speech disorder that can be addressed with speech therapy.
In this article, we’ll discuss the types, causes, and treatment options for lisps, giving you the tools to take the next step toward improvement.
Key Takeaways:
Definition: A lisp is a type of speech impediment where sounds like “s” or “z” are pronounced differently, often with a soft or slushy sound.
Causes: Lisps can be caused by early speech habits, structural factors, hearing issues, or developmental speech patterns, often resolving on their own in young children.
When to Seek Help: Speech therapy is recommended if the lisp impacts confidence and communication or persists beyond the age of seven.
When to Reach Out to a Speech-Language Pathologist
What is a Lisp?
A lisp is a type of speech error where certain sounds, particularly the “s” and “z” sounds, are pronounced differently than expected. Instead of the crisp, clear sound you typically hear, a lisp might make these sounds come out more like a “th” sound or produce a slushy, soft quality.
Lisps are common speech errors that can occur across all ages. There are different types of lisps, including interdental, lateral, and palatal lisps, which each affect the production of the /s/ and /z/ sounds in different ways.
For instance, in an interdental lisp, air escapes as the tongue moves between the front teeth, affecting the clarity of /s/ and /z/ sounds. In a lateral lisp, air flows over the sides of the tongue instead of through the center, creating a slushy sound. In a palatal lisp, the tongue makes contact too far back in the mouth, often near the soft palate, altering the production of /s/ and /z/ sounds.
Causes of Lisps
Lisps can happen for various reasons. Let’s explore some of the common causes:
Early Speech Habits or Tongue Positioning: Young children often experiment with different tongue positions as they learn to speak. Sometimes, these patterns persist if they are not naturally outgrown or addressed, potentially leading to a lisp as they grow older.
Structural Factors: Things like dental alignment or the size of the tongue can play a role. For example, if a person has extra space between their teeth or their tongue is naturally a bit larger, it might make it harder to produce certain sounds clearly.
Hearing Issues or Challenges with Sound Perception: If a person has hearing difficulties or struggles to perceive subtle differences in sounds, they may find it harder to produce certain speech sounds accurately. This can sometimes contribute to a lisp, as they may not be able to distinguish or replicate the correct sounds fully.
Developmental Speech Patterns: It’s normal for young children to go through stages where their speech sounds aren’t fully developed. For example, they might substitute or distort sounds in the learning process. In many cases, these patterns improve naturally over time, but occasionally, a lisp may continue and require support to address.
Tongue Thrust: Tongue thrust can impact a person’s speech patterns, swallowing habits, and dental alignment. Addressing tongue thrust early with the help of a speech pathologist can help in preventing further speech difficulties.
Understanding the cause of a lisp can help guide how to address it. For many people, speech therapy can provide the support they need to make clear, confident sounds as they grow.
When to Reach Out to a Speech-Language Pathologist
Knowing when to seek help for a lisp is an important step. Here are some situations where consulting a speech-language pathologist can make a difference:
If the lisp affects confidence: A person may hesitate to speak in class, social settings, or work, leading to self-consciousness or discomfort.
If the lisp impacts academic or professional performance: Difficulty being understood can interfere with participation in discussions, presentations, or learning activities.
If the lisp persists beyond developmental age: Lisps can resolve naturally in young children. However, if the lisp continues beyond age four or five, professional help is recommended.
Consulting with a speech-language pathologist is crucial for proper diagnosis and creating a tailored remediation plan to improve speech sound production.
How Speech Therapy Can Help
Speech therapy offers a supportive and personalized way to help you overcome a lisp. A speech therapist will start by determining the type of lisp and any possible reasons behind it, such as how you place your tongue when speaking or if there are structural issues affecting your speech.
Once the speech therapist understands the individual’s needs, they’ll teach correct tongue positioning and techniques for producing clear sounds like “s” and “z.”
For children, to keep things fun and engaging, speech therapy often includes games and activities that make practicing feel less like work and more like play.
With regular practice and guidance, speech therapy can help children and adults speak more clearly and confidently!
Treatment Options for Lisps
There are several effective ways to treat lisps, each tailored to help individuals improve their speech and build confidence.
In-Person Speech Therapy
Working directly with a speech therapist in person allows for hands-on guidance and immediate feedback. These sessions are ideal for individuals who benefit from face-to-face interaction and a structured environment.
Online Speech Therapy
For those needing flexibility, online speech therapy is a fantastic option. Virtual sessions provide professional support from the comfort of home, eliminating the need for travel while offering personalized and effective care tailored to the individual’s needs.
At-Home Practice
Regular practice at home is crucial to treating a lisp. Engaging in simple exercises and activities helps reinforce the skills learned during therapy. Consistency in practicing these techniques can accelerate progress and boost confidence.
Family Involvement
Family support can make a huge difference in overcoming a lisp. Positive encouragement, active participation in practice, and creating a supportive environment at home can significantly enhance treatment outcomes. When families are involved, it often increases motivation and makes therapy more effective.
By combining these approaches, individuals can make meaningful strides toward clearer, more confident speech. Progress is achievable with patience and consistent effort.
Frequently Asked Questions About Lisps
1. What is the cause of a lateral lisp?
A lateral lisp occurs when air escapes from the sides of the tongue during speech, often because the tongue is positioned too far to the sides instead of directing airflow through the center of the mouth.
This misplacement creates the distinctive "slushy" or "spitty" sound, particularly with /s/ and /z/ sounds. Contributing factors include learned speech habits during early development, improper tongue positioning, or structural factors like dental alignment issues.
2. What does palatal lisp sound like?
A palatal lisp occurs when the tongue is placed too far back in the mouth, often making contact with the soft palate instead of the roof of the mouth or teeth. This causes /s/ and /z/ sounds to become muffled or distorted, resulting in speech that may sound "hollow" or unclear.
The sharpness of these sounds is lost, making them harder to understand. Depending on the severity of the tongue placement, a palatal lisp may also impact other speech sounds.
3. How can an interdental lisp be corrected?
An interdental lisp, or a frontal lisp, occurs when the tongue protrudes between the front teeth, affecting the production of the /s/ and /z/ sounds. To correct this, speech pathologists focus on retraining tongue placement, teaching the tongue to stay behind the front teeth rather than pushing through them.
Therapy often includes exercises to improve tongue coordination, auditory discrimination tasks to recognize correct and incorrect pronunciations, and techniques for proper breath control and airflow. In some cases, a speech therapist may also work on improving breath control and the proper flow of air during speech.
Many individuals can overcome an interdental lisp with consistent practice and guidance.
How Connected Speech Pathology Can Help
At Connected Speech Pathology, we provide expert, personalized therapy for individuals with lisps to meet each client's unique needs. Our skilled speech therapists start with a comprehensive assessment to determine the type and cause of the lisp, then create a customized plan to improve speech clarity and build lasting confidence in communication.
Our articulation therapy focuses on proven techniques like proper tongue placement and sound production, helping clients overcome challenges while making real progress. Our flexible online therapy model sets us apart, allowing you or your child to access high-quality speech therapy from the comfort of your home.
With years of experience delivering remote services, we ensure the same level of care and expertise you’d expect from in-person sessions—all without the hassle of travel. Whether you’re managing a busy family schedule or live in an area without convenient therapy options, our secure virtual platform makes consistent, effective therapy accessible and easy to fit into your life.
Let us help you or your child build clear, confident communication skills with professional support that works for you!
Summary
Lisps are a common speech pattern that can affect communication but are nothing to be ashamed of. With the right approach, they are entirely manageable. Through in-person or online speech therapy, individuals of all ages can make meaningful progress in improving their speech clarity and building confidence.
If you or your loved one has a lisp, exploring therapy options is an excellent first step. With patience, consistency, and the support of a skilled speech therapist, clear and confident communication is well within reach.
About the Author
Allison Geller is a speech-language pathologist (SLP) and the owner of Connected Speech Pathology. She obtained her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees from the University of Florida in Speech-Language Pathology. Allison has practiced speech therapy in a number of settings including telepractice, acute care, outpatient rehabilitation, and private practice. She has worked extensively with individuals across the lifespan including toddlers, preschoolers, school-aged children, and adults. She specializes in the evaluation, diagnosis, and treatment of a variety of communication disorders including receptive/expressive language disorders, articulation disorders, voice disorders, fluency disorders, brain injury, and swallowing disorders.
Allison served as the clinical coordinator of research in aphasia in the Neurological Institute at Columbia University Medical Center in New York. She is on the Board of Directors for the Corporate Speech Pathology Network (CORSPAN), a Lee Silverman Voice Treatment (LSVT) certified clinician, and a proud Family Empowerment Scholarship/Step-Up For Students provider. Allison is passionate about delivering high quality-effective treatment remotely because it’s convenient and easy to access. What sets us apart from other online speech therapy options is—Allison takes great care to hire the very best SLPs from all over the country.
