A lisp is one of the most common speech problems we work with in speech pathology.
How speech pathology can treat a lisp
What is a lisp?
What causes lisps?
Speech Sound Development
Physiological Factors
There are four types of lisp: interdental, lateral, palatal and dentalised.”
What does a lisp look like?
When to seek help
Interdental lisps are common among children learning to talk. Both interdental and dentalised lisps can be a normal part of a child’s speech development, and resolve as the child matures. However, if you think your child has an interdental or dentalised lisp, and they are 4 ½ years of age or older, we recommend you contact us at Talkshop Speech Pathology.
In contrast to interdental and dentalised lisps, lateral and palatal lisps are not considered to be a normal part of a child’s speech development. If you think your child has a lateral or palatal lisp, and they are 4 years of age or older, we recommend you contact us at Talkshop Speech Pathology[5].
Adults with Lisp
“Interdental and dentalised lisps can be a normal part of a child’s speech development, and resolve as the child matures. Lateral or palatal lisps are not part of normal speech development.”
How we can help
Assessment
Assessment for a lisp at Talkshop involves formal and informal speech sound assessment. In addition, we measure pre-literacy skills. Because research shows, a speech sound disorder places a child at risk for future literacy difficulties. Furthermore, assessment involves an oromotor assessment. This means reviewing the structure and function of your child’s lips, tongue, mouth, and jaw. Thereby ensuring that they have the physical ability to create clear speech sounds. Finally, we complete an informal assessment of your child’s language skills.
Lisp Therapy
Targeting Lisps
- visual cues (e.g. using gestures to represent speech sounds)
- verbal cues (e.g. modeling how the speech sound sounds, providing verbal instructions)
- tactile cues (e.g. showing the child where to place their lips/tongue/jaw).
Targeting Tongue Thrusts
Parent Training
If you are unsure if your child has a lisp, book a free initial consultation to talk with one of our Speech Pathologists.
Read more about how Talkshop Speech Pathology treats speech delays and speech disorders
“We always provide parent training within therapy sessions”
References
1 “speech-language therapy – Caroline Bowen.” 23 Nov. 2011,
https://www.speech-language-therapy.com/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=86:lisp. Accessed 14 Jan. 2019.
2 “Tonsils, Adenoids, tongue tie | ENT Specialists.”
http://entspecialists.com.au/services/tonsils-and-adenoids/. Accessed 14 Jan. 2019.
3 “The effects of adenoidectomy and tonsillectomy on speech and nasal ….”
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15087574. Accessed 14 Jan. 2019.
4 “Effects of tonsillectomy on speech and voice. – Semantic Scholar.”
https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/Effects-of-tonsillectomy-on-speech-and-voice.-Mora-Jankowska/737d2d983e1f557b9def3cec9866f0d6d2b49df4. Accessed 14 Jan. 2019.
5 “Fact Sheets – Speech Pathology Australia.”
https://www.speechpathologyaustralia.org.au/SPAweb/Resources_for_the_Public/Fact_Sheets/Fact_Sheets.aspx. Accessed 14 Jan. 2019.
Additional Information
Speech Pathology Australia Fact Sheet: Speech sounds
Lisp: When /s/ and /z/ are hard to say
Speech Pathology Australia: Communication Milestones