Lisps

What is a lisp?

What is a lisp?
A lisp happens when a child pushes their tongue too far forward between the front teeth so that the /s/ and /sh/ sounds are more like /th/. For example, the word ‘sock’ might sound like “thock” or the word ‘shoe’ like “thoo”.
 
We call this an ‘interdental lisp’ because the tongue goes between the front teeth. This type of lisp is common in children until about the age of 5 years and is part of typical speech development.
 
There is another type of lisp called a ‘lateral lisp’. This is where you hear the air escaping out the sides of the tongue. This type of lisp is not a part of typical development, and the child may benefit from some support from a Speech and Language Therapist.
 
If your child is having difficulty with other sounds, not just /s/ or /sh/, we recommend looking at How do speech sounds develop? and Why does my child find some sounds difficult to say? for more information about when and how different speech sounds develop, and other types of speech sound difficulties.

My child has a lisp, what can I do to help?

There are lots of things you can do at home to help your child with a lisp:
 
  • Model the adult pronunciation of the word. For example, if your child says “I want to wear the blue thock”, you can say “Here’s your blue sssock”. Children learn a lot about speech sounds through listening, and these daily models are helping them to learn the adult way to say /s/.
  • Play ‘I Spy’ together. Focus on finding things that begin with the /s/ sound and the /th/ sound. Talk about the sounds that words begin with so that you are helping them to notice the difference.
  • Mirror play. If your child is willing and able, use a mirror to demonstrate how the tongue stays behind the teeth when making a /s/ sound.
  • Choose 4 or 5 simple /s/ words that you and your child say lots each day. For example, ‘sock’, ‘sandwich’, ‘soap’, ‘sit down’ or any family/friends names starting with /s/. When saying these words, talk about the /s/ sound and emphasise it. Your child can have a go at copying you if they are able to, but avoid putting too much pressure on them if they are not ready.
  • If your child uses a dummy or bottle, try to minimise this during the day.

Remember that lisps are a common part of speech sound development, and most children grow out of lisps when they are ready. You can download our Lisp Advice handout here.
Last updated02 Aug 2024
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