a speech impediment lisp

What’s a Lisp and How Do You Treat It?

• Virtual Speech Therapy LLC
• March 26, 2024

Reviewed by Dr. Joyce Richardson, PhD .

A lisp is a speech impediment characterized by difficulty pronouncing certain sounds, particularly the “s” and “z” sounds. It’s typically addressed through speech therapy and consistent practice.

A lisp can have a big impact on those affected, especially in social situations or professional settings.

Imagine trying to have a conversation with someone who struggles with their “s” and “z” sounds – it can make things a bit awkward, right?

Fortunately, with the right support and resources, individuals can overcome the challenges associated with a lisp and develop clearer and more confident speech.

We’re here to shed some light on this topic. From the different types of lisps to what causes them and how to treat them. Keep reading to learn more.

What Causes a Lisp?

A lisp can be caused by a variety of factors, including:

• Structural abnormalities
• Muscle coordination issues
• Habitual factors

Sometimes it’s a case of anatomy. Structural abnormalities, such as a cleft palate, tooth misalignment, or a tongue tie can disrupt the normal airflow during speech production, leading to a lisp.

Then there’s muscle coordination. Think of it like trying to pat your head and rub your tummy at the same time – except it’s your tongue trying to hit the right spots to make those “s” and “z” sounds. Sometimes, things just don’t sync up like they’re supposed to which can be due to developmental delays or neurological conditions that affect muscle control.

Habitual factors, like prolonged use of pacifiers or thumb sucking during early childhood, can also affect the development of speech and lead to a lisp. In some cases, a lisp may be a learned behavior from hearing others speak with a lisp or imitating certain speech patterns. Breaking those habits can take some work, but it’s absolutely doable.

Identifying the root cause is the first step to tackling a lisp head-on. Whether it’s anatomy, muscle coordination, habits, or something else entirely, understanding the cause is key to finding the right treatment approach.

Impact of Lisps

Lisps can have a pretty big impact on someone’s life.

Communication Challenges

Having a lisp can make communication tricky and make it hard for individuals to express themselves clearly.

Picture trying to chat about “sunshine” but ending up with “thunthine” instead.

These communication hiccups can lead to misunderstandings and frustration, both for the person with the lisp and the ones they’re talking to.

Social and Emotional Effects

Lisps can also take a toll on confidence if you’re constantly worrying if your words will come out right or if you’ll trip over your tongue mid-sentence.

The embarrassment caused can lead to lower self-esteem and even a reluctance to speak up in public.

And for kids who are just starting to find their voice, this can really complicate things.

Different Types of Lisps

There are four main types of Lisps:

• Lateral Lisp: A lateral lisp occurs when the /s/ and /z/ sounds are produced with air flowing over the sides of the tongue, resulting in a “wet” sound.
• Palatal Lisp: In a palatal lisp, the /s/ and /z/ sounds are pronounced with the tongue in contact with the roof of your mouth, resulting in a “slushy” sound.
• Frontal Lisp: This type of lisp happens when the /s/ and /z/ sounds are pronounced with the tongue too far forward, resulting in more of a “th” sound.
• Dental Lisp: The dental lisp is the most common type of lisp and it involves the tongue coming into contact with the front teeth, resulting in the /s/ and /z/ sounds being pronounced with a “th” sound similar to the frontal lisp.

How to Treat a Lisp

Treating a lisp typically involves a combination of speech therapy with a qualified speech-language pathologist (SLP) and consistent practice.

Your SLP will suggest a treatment plan based on:

• The type of lisp you’re dealing with and,
• What is causing it.

Treatment will often include exercises to improve tongue placement, airflow, and articulation of “s” and “z” sounds.

In some cases, other interventions may be recommended, such as orofacial myofunctional therapy to address underlying muscle coordination issues, behavioral therapy to modify speech patterns and habits, or a frenotomy if a tongue tie is causing the lisp.

When Should My Child With a Lisp Get Treatment?

It depends on what’s causing it.

Depending on what’s causing your child’s lisp, you may want to take action right away, while other times, it might be best to wait and see if things improve on their own.

A frontal lisp is often just a part of young children’s developmental journey. As they grow and learn new sounds, the lisp may naturally improve on its own so a speech-language pathologist might wait until age seven before providing intervention.

A lateral lisp on the other hand is not considered a developmental distortion so treatment can begin earlier, usually around four and a half years of age, to address this type of lisp.

Consulting with a licensed speech therapist is the best way to figure out the best course of action and the timing.

How to Support Your Child With a Lisp

Whether you’re waiting it out, or actively treating the lisp, there are things you want to keep in mind in order to support your child along their journey:

• Create a supportive environment: Avoid any form of mockery or ridicule
• Encourage confidence and self-esteem: Praise their efforts and focus on their strengths, rather than their speech impediment.
• Encourage open communication: Provide a safe space for your child to express themselves without fear of judgment.
• Be mindful of their feelings: Make sure they feel included in conversations and activities and encourage peers and family members to be patient and understanding too.

Working With the Right Speech-Language Pathologist

Finding the right Speech-Language Pathologist (SLP) can make a world of difference in your or your child’s communication abilities.

Look for an SLP licensed and certified by ASHA with experience. Find someone who will customize their therapy to suit the unique requirements of your child with a lisp.

At Virtual Speech Therapy LLC , our seasoned team boasts over 50 years of collective experience, catering to individuals of all ages and diverse communication needs. Plus, we offer the convenience of therapy sessions right from the comfort of your own home.

If you’re ready to take the first step toward improving your communication abilities, reach out today to schedule your initial consultation .

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Different Types of Lisps and How to Treat Them

Different Types of Lisps & How to Treat Them

Lisps are common speech problems where a person has trouble pronouncing one or more consonant sounds. You may hear speech therapists and others refer to a lisp as a functional speech disorder (FSD).

People of any age can have a lisp. The condition can affect their personal, social, and professional well-being. Consequently, people often ask their doctor how to get rid of a lisp.

This article provides information about lisp causes, the different types of lisps, and how to fix a lisp.

What Is a Lisp?

A lisp is a speech impediment that affects a person’s ability to make “s” and “z” sounds. It occurs because of various problems with how the tongue moves when the person speaks.

Lisps most often develop in childhood and typically go away without treatment. However, some people have a lisp that persists. Unfortunately, children may tease a classmate with a lisp, and adults may perceive others negatively if they have a speech impediment. As a result, people with lisps sometimes struggle with communication and lack confidence.

What Are the Most Common Types of Lisps?

The most common lisp types are:

• Frontal (or interdental) lisp. This type of lisp occurs when a person’s tongue is too far forward and pushes between the front teeth when pronouncing words containing “s” or “z.” As a result, the sound is more “th” in nature.
• Dentalized lisp. This lisp sounds like a frontal lisp but is caused by the tongue pressing against the front teeth.
• Lateral lisp. A lateral lisp has a hissing sound as if there is excess saliva in the mouth. It’s caused by extra air sliding over the tongue.
• Palatal lisp. This lisp occurs when a person touches their tongue to the roof of their mouth when making “s” and “z” sounds.

Causes of Lisps

Why a particular person develops a lisp is often unknown. Some possible causes include being “tongue-tied” (a condition called ankyloglossia where tissue under the tongue restricts movement) or having a jaw alignment problem. Genetics and their effect on the development of the tongue and mouth structures may also be a factor, as can mild hearing loss. Sometimes, a person learns an incorrect pronunciation of “s” and “z” sounds as a child.

Diagnosing a Lisp

Lisps in children typically resolve without treatment. However, if your child’s speech impediment hasn’t gone away as they approach age five, it’s a good idea to talk with your doctor and consider speech therapy. A speech-language pathologist can determine what type of lisp is present and recommend treatment.

What Is the Best Way to Fix a Lisp?

Speech therapy is highly effective in correcting lisps. The process may take a few months (for younger children) to a few years (for older children with a more established lisp), but it generally produces excellent results.

Treatment for a lisp typically involves:

• Helping the person hear what their lisp sounds like
• Teaching them how to place their tongue to produce sounds correctly
• Having them perform exercises like saying specific words or phrases containing the sounds
• Engaging the person in conversations that challenge them to remember and use proper tongue placement

Learn More About the Treatment of Lisps

Lisps are common speech problems that often resolve on their own but can be persistent. Can you fix a lisp? Yes, lisps can be corrected, typically with assistance from a speech-language pathologist.

If your child has a lisp or you have one, Baptist Health can help. Learn about our speech pathology services .

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What Is a Lisp and What Causes It?

Medically Reviewed By Colgate Global Scientific Communications

If you or someone you know misarticulates certain phonetic sounds, it may be due to a lisp. The cause, effects and solutions for this speech disorder may differ, depending on the person. Here's why someone may have trouble making phonetic sounds correctly and what can be done about it.

What Are Lisps and What Causes Them?

A lisp is a common type of speech impediment. An article from Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Programs specifies several potential causes of lisping:

• Learning to pronounce sounds incorrectly
• Jaw alignment problems
• Tongue-tie , where the tongue is attached to the bottom of the mouth and movement is limited
• Tongue thrust , where the tongue protrudes out between the front teeth

What Are the Types of Lisps?

There are four professional categories of lisps, as the Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Programs outlines. The first is a frontal lisp, which is the most common and occurs when individuals push their tongues too far forward. The second is a lateral lisp, which happens if air moves over the sides of the tongue when speaking, resulting in a slurred sound. People with palatal lisps, the third kind, touch their tongue to the roof of their mouth while saying certain sounds. Finally, the fourth kind, dental lisps, are easily confused with frontal lisps, but these occur when the individual pushes their tongue against the teeth — not through them.

The Connection Between Lisping and Misaligned Teeth

Malocclusion is the misalignment of teeth when biting down which occurs because the teeth are crooked or not spaced correctly.

In some cases, dental malocclusion can be directly linked to speech disorders. Research conducted in a 2021 study published in the Journal of Applied Oral Science determined that people with speech articulation issues, such as a lisp, have a high chance of malocclusion. However, malocclusion doesn't necessarily cause the speech disorder, and the severity of the disorder doesn't necessarily correlate to the severity of the malocclusion.

Some of the alignment issues associated with speech disorders include:

• Increased overjet
• Spacing between the teeth in the upper jaw

It is crucial for anyone who believes they have a speech disorder or a bite issue to get a professional diagnosis. It's especially important to determine if the lisp results from tongue thrust, as this condition can have significant dental consequences. Parents who notice speech difficulties in their children should seek evaluation.

How to Treat Speech Articulation Issues

Having a speech issue can be emotionally challenging. If you or someone you know has speech trouble, there are several ways to seek help. People with lisping issues can seek help from a dentist, orthodontist, doctor, or speech-language pathologist.

A dentist can check the positioning of the teeth and the size and shape of the palate and bite. A physician may look for other things, such as allergies and tonsil size, while a speech and language pathologist will likely focus on how the individual speaks, breathes, and eats. Sometimes, treating a speech issue requires a combination of professional interventions.

If you or someone you know suffers from a speech disorder, don't worry! There are many resources available for support and speech lisp therapy.

Oral Care Center articles are reviewed by an oral health medical professional. This information is for educational purposes only. This content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist, physician or other qualified healthcare provider.

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Types of lisps, what lisps sound like, and how they're treated

As young children develop their speech and language skills, imperfections should be expected. Errors are often a part of typical development, and they're extremely common. 

Lisps are one of the most noticeable speech disorders that can happen during this period of development. People with a lisp often struggle to pronounce certain consonants, with the “s” and “z” sounds being some of the most common and challenging.

In many cases, lisps are just temporary bumps in the road on the path to language development, and over time they’re corrected naturally on their own. However, while a lisp might seem “cute” or “adorable” during a child’s toddler years, it can be concerning if the lisp persists as they get older. The number one question parents typically ask is “Will my child grow out of a lisp?” Many caregivers worry that their child’s lisp will continue into school-age and eventually adulthood, affecting their child’s confidence and self-esteem. 

Fortunately, there are effective treatments available. Plus, there are many ways caregivers can reinforce good communication habits at home to prevent a lisp from becoming more pronounced.

As with all speech and language challenges, educating yourself is the best way to make informed treatment decisions. For that reason, we’ve put together this informational guide to answer common questions about lisps, identify signs and symptoms, and explain how a lisp is typically evaluated, diagnosed, and treated. 

1 What is a lisp?

2 What causes lisps?

3 Is there a difference between a tongue thrust and a lisp?

4 How can a lisp affect a person's life?

5 How are lisps recognized and diagnosed?

6 How are lisps treated?

7 How do lisps affect adults?

8 How does Expressable assess and treat lisps?

9 How can parents help their child overcome a lisp?

What is a lisp?

Many of us know what a lisp sounds like. The most common form occurs when someone makes a “th” sound when trying to say an “s” or “z” sound. Lisps are caused because of the incorrect placement of a person’s tongue inside their mouth during speech. When a person lisps, their tongue usually touches, pushes against, or protrudes between their teeth.

There are actually four distinct types of lisps, with certain characteristics and tongue placement. While the differences may seem small, correct diagnosis is important when considering treatment. Here are the four types of lisps:

Palatal lisp: As the name suggests, this lisp is associated with a person’s soft palate, more commonly referred to as the roof of the mouth. When a person’s tongue rolls back and touches the roof of their mouth during speech, they often have difficulty making “s” and “z” sounds.

Lateral lisp: This happens when a person’s tongue remains in a close-to-normal position, but airflow manages to escape from one or both sides of their mouth. This is sometimes referred to as a “slushy lisp” because it can make the speaker’s words sound “wet” or “spitty.” What you’re hearing is a mix of air and saliva.

Dentalized lisp: With a dentalized lisp, a person’s tongue pushes against their front teeth, directing airflow forward. This commonly produces a “muffled” sound.

Interdental lisp: These are commonly referred to as frontal lisps. They happen when the tongue pushes forward or protrudes between the front teeth.

Lisps often become noticeable after the age of 2, when children begin developing their language abilities.

Both dentalized and interdental lisps are common and perfectly normal during a child's language development phase. Many children experience them until around 4½ years of age. While it’s always a good idea to talk with a qualified speech-language pathologist if you suspect your child has a lisp (more on that below), it’s especially important once your child is approaching age 5.

Conversely, lateral and palatal lisps do not happen as part of a child’s natural development. A child with this type of lisp should receive a professional evaluation from a speech-language pathologist as soon as possible. 

What causes lisps?

Lisps are caused by the incorrect placement of the tongue in the mouth. This can, in turn, obstruct air flow when speaking, and cause the distortion of how a person pronounces words and syllables. Lisps can be caused by a variety of factors, including: 

Learning to pronounce sounds and syllables incorrectly

Problems with a person’s jaw alignment

A tongue tie, which occurs when the tongue is attached to the bottom of the mouth and its movement is limited

A tongue thrust , where the tongue protrudes between a person’s teeth

Is there a difference between a tongue thrust and lisp?

Yes, there is a difference between a tongue thrust and lisp. However, the distinction can be hard to identify with an untrained eye and is best left to the clinical assessment of a speech-language pathologist, also known as a speech therapist.

A tongue thrust is technically referred to as an orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD). It occurs when the tongue moves forward in a pronounced way when a person is either speaking or swallowing. The tongue may sit too far forward in the mouth, or push between a person’s teeth during speech and swallowing. Articulation errors can result from both tongue thrusts and lisps, affecting how the person produces sounds.

A person’s lisp can be a result of a tongue thrust. This is especially important to know because a tongue thrust can eventually cause significant dental issues if left untreated.

How can a lisp affect a person’s life?

Lisping often doesn’t have a severe impact on a person’s ability to be understood. However, a lisp can still have effects on a person’s social and emotional wellbeing. 

Some caregivers fear their child could be teased by their peers. Children may also feel anxious or uncomfortable when speaking with other people, which can affect their confidence, self-esteem, and ability to socialize with others. 

For adults, these effects can be worse. They may feel frustration or embarrassment in the workplace, and try to avoid certain social situations altogether. 

While lisps affect everyone differently, there are things that caregivers and adults can do to minimize the impact of lisps and regain normal speech. 

How are lisps recognized and diagnosed?

In most cases, your pediatrician, school nurse, or teacher may refer you to a speech therapist. Speech therapists are communication experts and are the most qualified professionals to assess, evaluate, and treat children and adults with lisps.

As mentioned, there are different types of lisps of varying severities that can impact your child’s speech. That’s why if you suspect your child has a lisp, it’s a good idea to be proactive and seek an evaluation from a speech therapist. To assess your child’s speech patterns, your speech therapist may: 

Review your child’s medical history

Examine the anatomy of their mouth and tongue placement

Check for issues like a tongue tie or tongue thrust

Observe your child’s speech fluency, their vocal quality, and their social communication skills

Determine whether your child has a lisp or a different type of speech sound disorder

Provide a professional opinion of when to start intervention; for example, the speech therapist may recommend delaying treatment and closely monitoring your child to see if the lisp naturally disappears over time

How are lisps treated?

Habits become harder to break over time. Therefore, the earlier treatment is provided, the more quickly a lisp can be corrected and your child’s overall communication will improve. 

Once your speech therapist assesses your child’s speech, identifies the type of lisp they have, and recognizes which sounds they’re mispronouncing, they’ll develop a tailored treatment plan to help your child reach their communication goals. This plan will often include helping your child:

Increase their awareness of where they’re placing their tongue when speaking

Hear and recognize the difference between correct and incorrect pronunciation of sounds and syllables

Correctly make the target sounds they’re struggling to pronounce

Correctly pronounce more complex language, such as consonant and vowel combinations, structured and spontaneous sentences, and more

Practice using these correct pronunciations in real-life settings outside of therapy sessions

Every child is different, and the frequency and intensity of treatment will shift depending on their needs. While some children can see considerable improvement in a month or two, others will need intervention for a year or more. Factors that can affect the length of treatment include your child’s age, type of lisp, awareness of mispronunciations and ability to self-correct, how well they follow directions, and how often they practice at home. 

How do lisps affect adults?

First things first: It’s never too late to correct a lisp. 

Many adults have a lisp that was never properly treated in their younger years. They may have feelings of frustration, embarrassment, or low self-esteem, and want to improve their communication to feel more confident when speaking in their daily lives and workplace. 

However, it’s also important to note that not all adults want to "fix" or get rid of their lisp--and that’s perfectly OK! Often, these adults have accepted their speech the way it is. It's become part of their unique image and persona.

Assessing and treating lisps is largely similar in both children and adults, beginning with seeking professional help from a speech therapist. The only added challenge with adults is finding someone you can practice with on your own time. Whether this is a spouse, family member, or friend, it’s important to have someone you trust provide honest feedback and encouragement so you can continue to improve on your own time, outside of therapy sessions.

How does Expressable assess and treat lisps?

Expressable matches families with a certified speech therapist trained to evaluate and treat speech impediments like lisps. All therapy is delivered online via face-to-face video conferencing.

The client’s age and development will influence how the speech therapist interacts with them through these video sessions:

Ages 0-3: Caregivers attend sessions and work directly with their child's speech therapist to learn cues and at-home strategies. This way they can confidently practice with their child outside the sessions and help improve their child's communication. 

Ages 3-6: Caregivers attend video sessions alongside their child so they both learn valuable skills from their speech therapist. Reinforcing these lessons outside the session will continue to promote at-home skill building.

Ages 7 and up: Most children attend video sessions independently, but parents are kept in the loop with updates and tips during each session.

Adults: Adults attend sessions by themselves, but they are welcome to bring loved ones or family members as well.

Your Expressable speech therapist will introduce a variety of techniques to improve a lisp. Different types of cues and techniques will work for different people. 

As the client learns to make the target sounds and becomes more independent in their sound productions, the speech therapist will decrease the amount of help provided. This increases the client’s independence in their speech sound productions, which is the whole goal of speech therapy. 

As your independence grows, your speech therapist will also increase the complexity of tasks you’re working on. For example, at the beginning of therapy you may work on the /s/ sound by itself, not in words. Over time, you will likely move on to practicing /s/ in sentences and conversation. 

Your speech therapist will work closely with you every step of the way. In addition, all Expressable clients have access to our client portal , which features educational Learning Paths covering the strategies taught in therapy sessions. You can access examples, tips, demo videos, quizzes, and more. Plus, through the portal, you'll receive weekly home practice activities tailored to your needs. The more you practice speech therapy techniques at home, between sessions, the faster you'll make progress!

How can parents help their child overcome a lisp?

As with all speech impediments, having your child practice once or twice a week with a speech therapist simply isn’t enough. Overcoming old habits takes constant reinforcement outside of these sessions. When caregivers are actively involved in their child’s speech development, and they reinforce at home what their child is learning in speech therapy, children make more progress. 

While your speech therapist will provide personalized recommendations for at-home practice, here are a few tips and techniques you can start using immediately to help prevent a lisp from becoming more pronounced. 

Model correct speech: Children are sponges. They pick up speech habits by watching and interacting with people they love--namely, their family. So it’s important to “model” correct speech every day when speaking with your child. Make sure that you speak slowly, clearly, and with correct pronunciation. In addition, maintain eye contact with your child, even if you have to kneel down to get on their level, so they can see how your mouth moves and how you form sounds.

Use a mirror: Position your child in front of a mirror so each of you can practice pronouncing the “s” and “z” sounds. Watch how your teeth and mouth move when properly pronouncing these sounds, and encourage your child to imitate these correct mouth movements. This is helpful for all children, but in particular for those who are more visual learners.

Try the butterfly technique: This is a common technique used in speech therapy that can be easily practiced at home. To do this, prolong the letter “i” when you say words like “chin” or “win.” Take notice of how the sides of your tongue slightly raise upward like a butterfly’s wings. When pronouncing the “s” and “z” sounds, our tongue should ideally be in the same position. The goal of this exercise is to help prevent the tip of your child’s tongue from protruding past their teeth.

Drink from a straw: For children with dentalized and interdental lisps in particular, it can be especially helpful to use a straw when drinking. Straws naturally force the tongue to pull back into our mouths, which can help increase oral-motor strength. If you’re not a big fan of wasting so much plastic, spend a few dollars on a reusable, eco-friendly metal straw that can be easily washed.

Try to stop thumb-sucking: While thumb-sucking is a natural instinct, it can actually lead to lisping or make it worse. This is because thumb-sucking can cause the teeth to shift and create space for the tongue to protrude forward. Instead, try to find a comforting replacement that your child loves, such as a toy or blanket.

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When Kids Speak With A Lisp: How To Fix It

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“Mummy, can I feed the ‘animalth’ at the ‘thoo’?”

Does this sound familiar? If your child speaks like this, they may have something known as a lisp. A lisp usually only affects the way a child is understood slightly. However, it may have a significant effect on their “image” which can lead to all sorts of other issues.

This article was originally published in The New Age Parents. Download it as a PDF here.

Does this sound familiar? If your child speaks like this, they may have something known as a lisp.

A lisp usually only affects the way a child is understood slightly. However, it may have a significant effect on their “image” which can lead to all sorts of other issues. 1

The way in which a lisp is accepted, of course, will depend on many different things. Some children may live in an environment where their lisp will go largely unnoticed.

Other kids might gain positive recognition due to their lisp and it may even be regarded as endearing or sweet. In strong contrast to this, many children may be ridiculed and teased about their lisp.

In this article

A lisp is a speech disorder that affects how someone pronounces certain sounds. 

Lisps commonly develop during childhood. Nearly 1 in 12 children between the ages of 3 and 17 had a disorder related to voice, speech, or swallowing in 2012. 1  

Speech disorders, including lisps, are most prevalent in children between the ages of 3 and 6, at 11%. 2 Many children grow out of their lisps, though some may persist for years, even into adulthood. 

Persistent lisps may require treatment from a speech-language pathologist, also known as a speech therapist. A speech therapist can identify the cause and type of your child’s lisp and treat it.

Lisping is a functional speech impediment, meaning it doesn’t have an identified origin. However, there are some possible causes of lisping, including:

• Learning how to say certain sounds incorrectly
• Jaw alignment issues
• Tongue tie or ankyloglossia, when the tongue is tethered to the bottom of the mouth, causing limited mobility
• Pacifier use or thumbsucking

Speech professionals debate the actual cause of lisping, but it’s possible to treat a lisp if your child doesn’t grow out of it.

What are the Different Types of Lisps?

Speech-language pathologists categorize lisps into four different types:

• Frontal lisp – someone with a frontal lisp pushes their tongue too far forward, causing a mispronunciation of S or Z as a “th” sound. Frontal lisps are the most common type.
• Lateral lisp – in a lateral lisp, extra air slips over the sides of the tongue, making S and Z sound “wet”. It may sound like someone with a lateral lisp has excess saliva in their mouth.
• Palatal lisp – palatal lisps involve touching the tongue to the roof of the mouth, especially during S, Z, and sometimes R sounds.
• Dental lisp – dental and frontal lisps sound very similar. However, in a dental lisp, an individual pushes their tongue against their teeth instead of past them.

A speech therapist will identify which type of lisp your child has. Knowing the type will help them create a treatment plan to correct it.

Symptoms of a Lisp

Lisp symptoms are almost always what you hear in your child’s speech. The most common indicators of a lisp include:

• Pronouncing S and Z sounds as “th” (frontal or dental)
• A wet, slushy sound accompanying S and Z (lateral) 
• An H sound preceding S and Z (palatal)

Lisps don’t typically cause any symptoms unrelated to speech. However, children with lisps may also have:

• Structural irregularities in the tongue and palate
• Jaw issues such as an excessive overbite
• Abnormalities in the teeth, like an excessive overjet
• Hearing difficulties
• Delayed development
• Recent stress or trauma
• Prolonged respiratory illnesses

While these are not necessarily causes of a lisp, you may see them in conjunction with a lisp.

When to Worry About a Lisp

Most children outgrow their lisps after their toddler years. If your child’s lisp persists past age 5, consult a speech-language pathologist. 3

A speech therapist will evaluate your child’s lisp and determine its type. They’ll then formulate a treatment plan designed to correct the lisp. If they find that something structural is causing the lisp, such as a dental issue, they may refer you to another specialist.

When to See a Speech-Language Pathologist

Most children outgrow a lisp and confidently say all speech sounds by age 5. If they have a lisp past that age, you may wish to see a speech-language pathologist, especially if the lisp causes discomfort or self-esteem issues.

Finding a speech therapist in your area is easy. Many public schools employ speech-language pathologists that can see your children as part of their school day. You can ask your doctor for a referral, check local rehabilitation centers, or contact therapy clinics.

The American Speech-Language and Hearing Association (ASHA) also has an excellent search tool for finding a speech therapist near you.

5 Ways to Correct a Lisp

Research shows that speech-language interventions are highly effective. One study found that an average of just 6 hours of speech therapy over 6 months can produce a significant improvement. 4

Some of the techniques that speech-language pathologists use to correct a lisp are:

1. Developing awareness

The first step in correcting a lisp is to teach your child to recognize the difference between how they pronounce words versus how others do. They may need help to hear their lisp on their own.

A speech therapist will demonstrate both speaking methods and have your child differentiate between them. You can practice this exercise at home with your child, too.

2. Learning tongue placement

Once your child can hear their lisp, their speech therapist will teach them how to form proper pronunciations. They will educate you and your child on correctly placing their tongue.

Demonstrating and practicing tongue placement is an exercise you can do at home.

3. Practicing words

Now that your child knows how and where to place their tongue, the speech therapist will have them practice words that trigger their lisp.

For example, if S is a problem sound, they will have them practice words that contain the same sound. They might start with words that begin with S, then move on to words with S in the middle or at the end.

4. Working on phrases

After your child has mastered words, they’ll move on to short phrases. These phrases will contain more difficult words.

A speech therapist may linger on this step until your child has fully mastered the phrases and words that give them trouble.

5. Having conversations

Lastly, your child and their speech therapist will practice having entire conversations together. A conversation will combine everything they’ve worked on together during treatment. 

At this point, your child should be able to say difficult words without lisping. If you want to practice this at home, you can have your child:

• Tell you a story about their day
• Teach you how to do something
• Identify pictures or objects around the house

Other Treatments for Lisping

You may hear about other treatments for a lisp, such as having your child drink through a straw. However, using objects such as straws for speech therapy is controversial, as there’s limited evidence of its effectiveness. 5

How to Cope With a Lisp

Lisping can have an impact on your child’s confidence and self-esteem. Other children may tease them for their lisp, which could interfere with their school and social life. 

It can also be frustrating to deal with a lisp as an adult. Research shows that a lisp impacts how people view your speaking ability, intelligence, and employability. 6

Here are a few tips on how to cope with a lisp for adults and children:

• Seek treatment — speech therapy can build your confidence and correct your lisp.
• Get support — seek psychotherapy for you or your child if you need help navigating social situations.
• Set boundaries — ask friends and family not to make fun of any type of speech impediment, developmental issue, or disability.

Can Lisping Cause Other Problems? 

While lisping may lead to some peer bullying, it generally does not cause any physical issues. Your child’s health is not necessarily at risk simply because they have a lisp.

However, lisps can indicate an underlying issue, such as a tongue tie. It’s always wise to get your child’s lisp evaluated.

A lisp is a type of speech impediment affecting the pronunciation of certain sounds. It commonly impacts how someone pronounces S, Z, or R. 

Lisping has no specific cause, though some factors may influence its development, including how we learn sounds, jaw alignment, pacifier use, and tongue tie. While most children outgrow their lisp after their toddler years, some may continue lisping as they age. 

Consult a speech-language pathologist if your child hasn’t lost their lisp by age 5. A speech therapist uses many methods to correct a lisp, including teaching correct tongue placement and practicing difficult words.

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• Black, L., et al. “ Communication Disorders and Use of Intervention Services Among Children Aged 3–17 Years: United States, 2012 .” NCHS Data Brief, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015.
• “ Quick Statistics About Voice, Speech, Language .” National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 2016. 
• “ Four to Five Years .” American Speech-Language-Hearing Association, 2022.
• Broomfield, J., et al. “ Is speech and language therapy effective for children with primary speech and language impairment? Report of a randomized control trial. ” International Journal of Language and Communication Disorders, National Library of Medicine, 2011.
• Ruscello, D. “ Nonspeech oral motor treatment issues related to children with developmental speech sound disorders .” Language, Speech, and Hearing Services in Schools, National Library of Medicine, 2008.
• Allard, E., et al. “ Listeners’ perceptions of speech and language disorders. ” Journal of Communication Disorders, Elsevier, Inc., 2008.

Home » Health Conditions » Lisp

Last Updated December 20th, 2021

What are the main causes of lisp?

Can lisp be cured, is lisp a disability, what are the causes of lisp in adults.

Among humans, speech and spoken language are the powerful and effective tools of communication. The acquisition of speech is a highly complex process that we begin in infancy and continue to master throughout our lives. Some individuals take longer than others to develop speech skills. Certain others may be completely unable to speak as a result of muteness. There also exists a group of individuals who are able to communicate through speech but they may have certain defects or impediments.

What Is A ‘Speech Impediment’?

What Is A Lisp?

A lisp is an example of a functional speech disorder . It is a condition in which the person is unable to produce certain sounds necessary for speech. Hence, those who lisp are unable to achieve clear and correct articulation. Often, this involves difficulty in correctly pronouncing the sounds ‘s’, ‘z’ and ‘r’, among others. The most common form of lisp involves distorted pronunciation of sibilant sounds.

Why Do Some People Lisp?

Generally, a lisp is caused by the inability to achieve correct placement of the tongue within the mouth when attempting to produce certain sounds. The specifics are discussed further on in the section dealing with different types of lisps.

The true cause for lisping is not as yet clear. Yet, there may also be certain other factors that contribute to the lisp. For instance:

• Tongue thrust is a common muscular imbalance that most of us display in infancy. If this persists as one grows older, it tends to give rise to lisping speech. Thumb sucking and use of pacifiers can encourage tongue thrust.
• Having an underbite or an overbite can also be responsible for lisping.
• A birth defect known as tongue-tie, which impairs the mobility of the tongue can also give rise to a lisp.
• Having frequent upper respiratory illnesses in early childhood encourage breathing through the mouth and this can affect the normal development of speech.
• Emotional or psychological stress.

Are There Different Kinds of Lisps?

Yes, there are a few different varieties of lisps. These are differentiated as follows:

• Interdental lisp: A person with an interdental lisp will pronounce the sound ‘s’ and ‘z’ incorrectly as ‘th’. Hence, the word ‘lisp’ itself will be pronounced as ‘lithp’. This is normal for children up until the age of 4-4.5. This happens because the tongue pushes forward between the front teeth, causing air to flow forward. Hence, this is also called a frontal lisp.
• Dental lisp: Here, too, air gets pushed forwards when speaking. In this case, the tongue rests against the front teeth when articulating sibilants. As a result, the sound is somewhat muted as compared to an interdental lisp.
• Lateral lisp: This is called so because air is pushed out through the sides of the mouth. The resultant sound is often described as ‘wet’, making it seem as if the person’s mouth is full of saliva when speaking.
• Palatal lisp: Here, the speaker attempts to articulate a sibilant but it becomes distorted because the middle of the tongue is in contact with the soft palate.

How Can The Specific Type Be Identified?

Visiting a doctor can help to make a preliminary assessment. The child will be examined for any structural abnormalities in the mouth. In order to determine the nature of the lisp and the most suitable mode of treatment, it is recommended to seek the opinion of a specialist such as a speech and a language therapist.

Can A Lisp Be Improved Or Corrected?

• Treat cold, sinus, and allergies so that the child doesn’t have to breathe through the mouth.
• Reduce thumb-sucking as much as possible.
• Let the child drink fluids through straws.

Can A Lisp Give Rise To Additional Problems?

Most people who lisp can still be understood well by others. Their speech impediment does not cause any significant problems in their day to day lives. Yet, a person who speaks with a lisp can sometimes become the target of ridicule and humiliation. This can cause them to feel embarrassed, self-conscious or anxious in situations involving public speaking. This can give rise to a severe phobia or even depression.

• https://medlineplus.gov/speechandcommunicationdisorders.html
• https://www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/statistics/statistics-voice-speech-and-language
• http://www.health.gov.au/internet/main/publishing.nsf/Content/what-are-speech-and-language-disorders
• https://www.sa.gov.au/topics/education-and-learning/disability-and-special-needs/speech-and-language-impairments
• https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-perspectives-of-children-and-young-people-who-have-speech-language-and-communication-needs-and-their-parents

Dos and Don'ts

• Get the condition corrected with the help of a licensed speech therapist.
• If the child suffers from any developmental problem or cleft palate, see that lisping is treated as soon as possible.
• Let the child feel that he/she is dumb or stupid for not being able to talk properly.
• Force the child to get better fast with speech therapy. Every individual has a different speed of showing improvements.
• Ignore the symptoms of communication disorders especially if an individual has experienced emotional/mental trauma.

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Types of Lisp Speech Disorders

Lisps, also referred to as Functional Speech Disorders or FMD’s, are amongst the most commonly identified and widely recognized speech problems that people experience. A “ lisp ” is an articulation problem that results in the inability to pronounce one or more consonant sounds. The most common example of this is the inability or difficulty pronouncing the letter sounds “s” or “z.” This is most often due to incorrect placement of the tongue within the mouth and is called an Interdental lisp. However, this is just one of four main types of lisps. Lisps can be common and normal in various stages of development in children. In some cases, lisps don’t fade as the child ages and can persist into the adult years. 

In this article, we will explore the different types of lisps, their causes, and how they can be effectively treated and often eventually corrected through treatment with a specialized Speech Therapist.

What are the different kinds of lisps?

There are many different types of lisps, however, there are four types that are most commonly observed. They are:

• Interdental lisp – Interdental lisp is the most common and well-known type of lisp. It is caused by the tongue pushing forward between the front teeth. In the case of an interdental lisp, the s or z sound is pronounced like “ th” .
• Dentalized lisp or dentalized production – This type of lisp occurs when the tongue pushes against the front teeth. This results in a muffled s or z sound. 
• Lateral lisp – A lateral lisp occurs when air exits the mouth out of the sides, resulting in slushy or wet-sounding speech as the spoken sound mixes with the sound of air and saliva. This type of lisp is most famously depicted by cartoon characters such as Sylvester the Cat and Daffy Duck. 
• Palatal lisp – This type of lisp is less common and occurs when the center of the tongue is in contact with the roof of the mouth, or the soft palate when attempting to produce the s sound.

Why do People have a Lisp? Is a lisp a mental disorder?

Like other functional speech disorders, the cause of lisps isn’t always known. In these cases, a lisp would be classified as a speech delay or disorder with an unknown origin. Some of the known causes or factors in lisp development are:

-Phonetic vs Linguistic – When it comes to lisps, the cause is almost always a phonetic disorder , meaning the affected person struggles to position the tongue, lips, teeth, and jaw correctly to achieve the attempted sound. This differentiates lisps from other speech disorders which are linguistic in origin, meaning the intended sounds can be achieved, but the person struggles with knowing and identifying which sound to use, especially when they are similar to others in sound or meaning. 

-Physiological factors – In some cases there are structural or physiological factors that contribute to the cause of a lisp. These can include abnormalities or irregularities with the soft palate, tongue, teeth, or position of teeth, While these things can be factors in lisp development, they are usually not the main or root cause.

-Genetics – Genetics can play a significant role in the development, structure, and position of one’s jaw, teeth, tongue and bite. In some cases, a lisp can be caused by abnormal development or positioning of the jaw and/or teeth. 

-Tongue Thrust/ Orofacial Myofunctional Disorder – Tongue thrust or OMD refers to the reflex of pushing the tongue forward between the front teeth. This reflex is normal in babies and children, and in most cases, children’s speaking and swallowing patterns evolve and develop normally. By the age of 6, most children no longer have a tongue thrust reflex. In some cases, prolonged tongue thrust is related to extended use of pacifiers, baby bottles, or other habits such as thumb sucking, allergies, or an untreated tongue-tie. 

-Hearing Loss – Some lisps are related to mild hearing loss, particularly involving high frequencies, which can affect the person’s ability to hear sounds correctly, and subsequently, they will struggle to repeat them. 

How are Lisps Treated? Can a Lisp be Corrected? 

Speech Therapy can be incredibly effective when it comes to addressing pronunciation and articulation concerns such as lisping. Speech Therapy to improve a lisp typically involves a progression of skill development, working first to clearly say the challenging sounds on their own (S and Z for example) and then over time working to properly execute these sounds within various words and combinations of words. How long this process takes and what the steps between each goal look like, will vary from person to person. Speech Therapy will aim to bring awareness to the various challenges and areas in need of improvement and to help bring mindfulness to related goals and positive outcomes. This is referred to as Articulation Therapy. Some specific techniques in individualized therapy might include the use of verbal, visual, or tactile cues. Verbal cues refer to the use of verbal instructions as well as demonstrating how to properly and effectively position the tongue and lips to articulate the sound. Visual clues include modeling how the sound should look and sound as well as the use of gestures to illustrate a certain sound. Tactile cues are when the therapist models the positioning and placement of the tongue and lips using touch. Other techniques that may be included in speech therapy are muscle strengthening exercises, learning to pronounce certain sounds and words, and a more general approach to annunciation coaching and support. 

If you or your loved one is struggling to identify or correct a lisp, connecting with a speech therapist can be an incredibly helpful and effective first step. Fill out our Get Started form by clicking the button below to book a free introductory call and start your journey with one of our highly specialized therapists. 

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Rhotacism: A complete guide to this speech impediment

Remember when you were a child and spoke by making your “R’s” sound like “W’s” and everything thought it was cute? That’s known as rhotacism and some people live with it even as adults. What is rhotacism, what is it like in other languages, and what are its symptoms? What does it look like as a speech impediment and what are some examples? What are its causes? How does it affect the brain ? Is it curable and how can it be fixed? This article will answer all your doubts about rhotacism. 

What is rhotacism?

Rhotacism is a speech impediment that is defined by the lack of ability, or difficulty in, pronouncing the sound R . Some speech pathologists, those who work with speech impediments may call this impediment de-rhotacization because the sounds don’t become rhotic, rather they lose their rhotic quality. It could also be called a residual R error.

It’s not such an uncommon phenomenon and actually also happens with the letter L , a phenomenon known as lambdacism . Sometimes people mistake these speech impediments for a lisp, of which they are not. Within the 2000-2001 school year, more than 700,000 students within the American public school system were categorized as having either a language impediment or a speech impediment. Ironically, all three speech impediments contain the troubled letter within them.

The word rhotacism comes from the New Latin rhotacism meaning peculiar or excessive use of [r]. The Latin word came from Ancient Greek word rhōtakismós which means to incorrectly use “rho” which is the equivalent of the Greek R. For language nerds, here’s a really great explanation of how the word came into being.

How does rhotacism work in different languages?

Rhotacism is, in theory , more common among people whose native language has a trilled R. For example, in Spanish the “rr” is a trilled R. Other languages with a trilled R include Bulgarian, Hungarian, Arabic, Finnish, Romanian, Indonesian, Russian , Italian, and most Swedish speakers. Some people might mock Asians, specifically Chinese, for not being able to pronounce the English word “broccoli” correctly- rather pronouncing it “browccoli”. This isn’t due to a rhotacism, however. It’s actually due to the fact that Mandarin (Chinese) words can have an “r” sound in the beginning of a word, but not in the middle or end of a word. This leads them to have issues in their phonotactics and creates an inability to pronounce the English “R” in the middle of words.

The leader of Hezbollah, Hasan Nasrallah, is a Lebanese leader and is mocked for his rhotacism when he says, “ Amwīka ” and “ Iswā’īl ” for the Arabic Amrīka (America), and Isrā’īl (Israel). He is a native Arabic speaker- a language which has the trilled R. Notice how he puts a W sound in those two words where the R sound usually is.

Symptoms of rhotacism

• Some people try to hide their impediment by avoiding words with R ’s in them.
• An overall inability to say R sounds
• Using trilled R’s or guttural R’s (such as the French R) when trying to pronounce the regular English R.

Rhotacism as a speech impediment

Using a strict classification, only about 5%-10% of the human population speaks in a completely normal way. Everyone else suffers from some type of speech disorder or another. For children of any language, the R sounds are usually the hardest to master and often end up being the last ones a child learns. That’s why baby talk if you think about it, doesn’t really use explicit or strong R sounds. In English, rhotacism often comes off as a W sound which is why “Roger Rabbit” sounds like “Woger Wabbit”. R is often more difficult because a child has to learn the different combination of the /r/ sounds, not just the letter itself, unlike other letters. For example, when it comes before and after vowel sounds. The combination of a vowel with the /r/ sound is called a phenome and in English, there are eight combinations of these:

–        The prevocalic R , such as “rain”

–        The RL , such as “girl”

–        The IRE, such as “tire”

–        The AR, such as “car”

–        The EAR , “such as “beer”

–        The OR , such as “seashore”

–        The ER , such as “butter”

–        The AIR , such as “software”

A speech impediment is a speech disorder , not a language disorder . Speech disorders are problems in being able to produce the sounds of speech whereas language disorders are problems with understanding and/or being able to use words. Language disorders, unlike speech disorders, have nothing to do with speech production.

Often what happens is that the person speaking isn’t tensing their tongue enough, or not moving their tongue correctly (up and backward depending on the dialect) which makes the W or “uh” sound come out. It may also be that the person is moving their lips instead of their tongue.

Examples of rhotacism

• Barry Kripke from the TV show The Big Bang Theory has both rhotacism and lambdacism- meaning he has issues pronouncing both his R ’s and his L ’s.
• The most famous of rhotacism would be Elmer Fudd from Looney Tunes . He pronounces the word “rabbit” [ˈɹ̠ʷæbɪ̈t] as “wabbit” [ˈwæbɪ̈t]
• In Monty Python’s Life of Brian , the 1979 film’s character Pilate suffers from rhotacism. In the film, people mock him for his inability to be understood easily.

Here’s a video with a woman who suffers from rhotacism. She explains how difficult it can be to have the speech impediment.

Causes of rhotacism

For many people, the causes of rhotacism are relatively unknown-, especially in adults. However, scientists theorize that the biggest cause is that the person grew up in an environment where they heard R ’s in a weird way, the shape of their mouths are different than normal, or their tongues and lips never learned how to produce the letter. In children, this could happen because the parents or adults around think the way the child talks (using baby talk) is cute and the child never actually learns how to produce it.

For one internet forum user, it has to do with how they learned the language , “I speak various languages, I pronounce the “R” normal in Dutch, French, and Spanish, but I have a rhotacism when speaking English. It’s the way I learnt it.”

For other people, speech issues are a secondary condition to an already existing, serious condition. Physically, it would be a cleft lip or a cleft palate. Neurologically, it could be a condition such as cerebral palsy. It may also be a tongue tie . Almost everyone has a stretch of skin that runs along the bottom of their tongue. If that skin is too tight and reaches the tip of the tongue, it can make pronouncing (and learning how to pronounce) R ’s and L ’s difficult. If the tongue tie isn’t fixed early on, it can be incredibly difficult to fix and learn how to pronounce later.

How the brain affects rhotacism

The brain affects rhotacism only for those who suffer from it not due to a physical impediment (such as a cleft palate). For some, this could happen because the brain doesn’t have the phonemic awareness and never actually learned what the letter R is supposed to sound like. This is common with kids whose parents spoke to them in “baby talk” and encouraged the child’s baby talk, too. This kind of behavior only strengthens a child’s inner concept that / R / is pronounced like “w” or “uh”.

Another reason could be that the brain connections simply don’t allow the lips or mouth to move in the way they need to in order to pronounce the R . This inability has little to do with physical incapabilities and more to do with mental ones. Some people with rhotacism have an issue with their oral-motor skills which means that there isn’t sufficient communication in the parts of the brain responsible for speech production.

Treatment for rhotacism

Is rhotacism curable.

It can have negative social effects- especially among younger children, such as bullying, which lowers self-esteem and can have a lasting effect. However, if the impediment is caught early enough on and is treated rather quickly, there is a good overall prognosis meaning it’s curable.

        However, some people never end up being able to properly pronounce that R and they end up substituting other sounds, such as the velar approximant (like w sounds) , the uvular approximant (also known as the “French R ”), and the uvular trill ( like the trilled R in Spanish).

How to fix rhotacism

Rhotacism is fixed by speech therapy . Before anything else, there needs to be an assessment from a Speech Language Pathologist (SLP) who will help decide if the problem can be fixed. If a child is involved, the SLP would predict if the child can outgrow the problem or not. After the diagnosis, a speech therapist will work with the person who suffers from the speech impediment by possibly having weekly visits with some homework and practice instructions. Therapy happens in spouts- a period of a few weeks and a break. There is a follow-up to see if there has been an improvement in pronunciation. In the U.S., children who are in school and have a speech disorder are placed in a special education program. Most school districts provide these children with speech therapy during school hours.

Another option, often used alongside speech therapy, is using a speech therapy hand-held tool that helps isolate the sound being pronounced badly and gives an image of the proper tongue placement to enable better pronunciation.

One study tested a handheld tactical tool (known as Speech Buddies) and the traditional speech therapy methods. The study found that students who used the hand-held tool (alongside speech therapy) improved 33% faster than those who used only the traditional speech therapy methods.

Have you or someone you know ever struggled with rhotacism? Let us know what you think in the comments below!

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Hard Words to Say with a Lisp: How to Work Around Your Speech Disability

Saying hard words is never easy, but it can be especially difficult when you have a speech disability. A lisp is a common speech disability that can make it difficult to pronounce certain sounds. If you have a lisp, don’t worry! There are plenty of ways to work around your speech disability and still communicate effectively with others. In this blog post, we will discuss some strategies that you can use to overcome your lisp and say hard words with ease!

What is a lisp, and how do you know if you have one?

Common causes of lisps, hard words to say with a lisp, how to correct a lisp, when is the best time to seek help for a lisp, how speech therapy can help correct a lisp.

What is a lisp? A l isp is a speech disorder that can make it difficult to say certain words. This disorder can make it difficult to produce the /s/ and /z/ sounds. A lisp is a very common sort of speech impediment.

It does not matter if you find the English language difficult or the Spanish language is harder. But the way you pronounce a difficult word, whether it’s from a native or foreign language, is what involves a lisp. If you are not sure if you have a lisp, there are a few ways that you can check. One way is to say the word “seesaw”. You will most likely say “seesaw” as “seesaow” if you have a lisp. Another way to check is to say the word “lizard”. If you have a lisp, you will most likely say “lizard” as “lidger”. If you think you may have a lisp, it is important to speak with your doctor.

Common causes of this functional speech disorder can include:

• Neurological problems:  Some people may develop a lisp due to a neurological problem, such as a stroke.
• Mouth and teeth problems:  Some people may develop a lisp if they have problems with their mouth or teeth, such as a misaligned jaw. Or they may either have a tongue tie or tongue thrust. Tongue-tie is a condition where the tongue is firmly connected to the floor of the mouth and movement is restricted. Tongue thrust is when the tongue protrudes between the front teeth.
• Speech disorders:  Some people may develop a lisp if they have another speech disorder or learn to pronounce sounds incorrectly.

What Are the Types of Lisps?

There are four professional categories of lisps , as the Speech-Language Pathology Graduate Programs outlines.

A  frontal lisp  is the most common and occurs when individuals push their tongues too far forward.

A  lateral lisp  happens if air moves over the sides of the tongue when speaking, resulting in a slurred sound.

People with  palatal lisps  touch their tongue to the roof of their mouth while saying certain sounds.

Dental lisps  are easily confused with frontal lisps, but these occur with the wrong mouth position; the individual pushes their tongue against the teeth — not through them.

If you have a lisp, it can be difficult to say certain words. Some of the hardest words to say with a lisp include “th” sounds (as in “think”), “s” sounds (as in “see”), and “z” sounds (as in “zoo”). Many people think that a lisp is usually only found in kids before the age of five. By the time they attend school, many would think they wouldn’t have lisp anymore and go on with their everyday lives. But honestly, it can still be present in adults who did not take this speech impediment seriously and did not seek help. If you have difficulty in pronouncing the word with s, z, and th, please consider that you have a lisp.

Here are some hard words to say with a lisp:

• narcissistic
• sixth sense
• statistician
• specificities
• Mississippi

This is just a shortlist of problematic word lisp, and there sure are plenty more speech sound errors that you may find as you continue reading words.

If you have a lisp , there are a few things that you can do to help correct it.

Practice on your own.

One thing is to practice saying the words that are difficult for you. Another thing is to make sure that you are using the right muscles when you speak. You can do this by practicing your speech in front of a mirror.

Seek out a Speech pathologist

They are specialists who can help children with lisps. They will evaluate what type of lisp your child has and then help them with it over a period of time. It can take a few months to a few years to get rid of a lisp. If a child is older when working with a speech-language pathologist, it may take longer.

Frenotomy or frenulopasty

If your child’s lisp is from a tongue-tie, a doctor may recommend a simple in-office procedure called a frenotomy to reduce the tethering. They take a pair of scissors and snip the excess tissue holding the tongue down. If the tongue-tie is more severe, they might require a surgery called frenuloplasty.

Other strategies

Another strategy is to mime the words that you are trying to say. This can help you get the pronunciation correct. You can also try speaking more slowly and enunciating each word clearly.

If you are having difficulty pronouncing certain words, it is best to seek help as soon as possible. The earlier you seek help, the easier it will be to correct the lisp. If you wait too long, the speech muscles may become harder to retrain.

If you have a lisp, speech therapy can help correct it. Speech therapists will evaluate your lisp and give you exercises to help improve your pronunciation. It may take time and effort, but you can overcome your lisp with patience and practice.

Speech pathologists work with people who have lisps to help them recognize what their lisp sounds like and how to position their tongue in the correct place to make the sound. They do this by giving them exercises, like saying specific words or phrases with the sounds in them. Once your child has been working on their lisp for a while, your speech pathologist will engage them in conversation to challenge them to remember proper tongue placement.

Lisps are just one type of speech impediment. There are still others who have difficulty saying short or long words with R, L, D, K, and many more. Now that you know some of the mispronounced words that you need to work on, you can either practice on your own or find professional help to help you pronounce words correctly.

References:

https://www.colgate.com/en-us/oral-health/developmental-disabilities/what-is-a-lisp-and-what-causes-it

https://www.wordnik.com/lists/lispers-nemeses

https://www.webmd.com/children/what-is-a-lisp#091e9c5e8217eb1b-1-4

https://www.wikihow.com/Talk-with-a-Lisp

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Where Did Spaniards Get Their ‘Lisp’ From?

First of all, there was and is no lisp

Mirci  / Creative Commons.

• History & Culture
• Pronunciation
• Writing Skills
• B.A., Seattle Pacific University

If you study Spanish long enough, sooner or later you'll hear a tale about Spanish King Ferdinand, who supposedly spoke with a lisp, causing Spaniards to imitate him in pronouncing the z and sometimes the c to be pronounced with the "th" sound of "thin."

Oft-repeated Story Merely an Urban Legend

In fact, some readers of this site have reported hearing the tale from their Spanish instructors.

It's a great story, but it's just that: a story. More precisely, it's an urban legend, one of those stories that is repeated so often that people come to believe it. Like many other legends, it has enough truth—some Spaniards indeed do speak with something that the uninformed might call a lisp—to be believed, provided one doesn't examine the story too closely. In this case, looking at the story more closely would make one wonder why Spaniards don't also pronounce the letter s with a so-called lisp.

Here's the Real Reason for the ‘Lisp’

One of the basic differences in pronunciation between most of Spain and most of Latin America is that the z is pronounced something like the English "s" in the West but like the unvoiced "th" of "thin" in Europe. The same is true of the c when it comes before an e or i . But the reason for difference has nothing to do with a long-ago king; the basic reason is the same as why U.S. residents pronounce many words differently than do their British counterparts.

The fact is that all living languages evolve. And when one group of speakers is separated from another group, over time the two groups will part ways and develop their own peculiarities in pronunciation, grammar, and vocabulary. Just as English speakers talk differently in the U.S., Canada, Great Britain, Australia, and South Africa, among others, so do Spanish speakers vary among Spain and the Latin American countries. Even within one country, including Spain, you'll hear regional variations in pronunciation. And that's all we're talking about with the "lisp." So what we have is not a lisp or an imitated lisp, just a difference in pronunciation. The pronunciation in Latin America is no more correct, nor less, than that in Spain.

There isn't always a specific explanation of why language changes in the way it does. But there is a plausible explanation given for this change, according to a graduate student who wrote to this site after the publication of an earlier version of this article. Here's what he said:

"As a graduate student of the Spanish language and a Spaniard, being confronted with people who 'know' the origin of the 'lisp' found in most of Spain is one of my pet peeves. I have heard the 'lisping king' story many times, even from cultured people who are native Spanish speakers, though you will not hear it come from a Spaniard.

"Firstly, the ceceo is not a lisp. A lisp is the mispronunciation of the sibilant s sound. In Castilian Spanish, the sibilant s sound exists and is represented by the letter s . The ceceo comes in to represent the sounds made by the letters z and c followed by i or e .

"In medieval Castilian there were two sounds that eventually evolved into the ceceo , the ç (the cedilla) as in plaça and the z as in dezir . The cedilla made a /ts/ sound and the z a /dz/ sound. This gives more insight into why those similar sounds may have evolved into the ceceo ."

Pronunciation Terminology

In the above student comment, the term ceceo is used to refer to the pronunciation of the z (and of c before  e or i ). To be precise, however, the term ceceo refers to how the s is pronounced, namely the same as the z of most of Spain—so that, for example, sinc would be pronounced like roughly "think" instead of like "sink." In most regions, this pronunciation of the s is considered substandard. When used precisely, ceceo doesn't refer to the pronunciation of the z , ci or ce , although that error is often made.

Other Regional Variations in Pronunciation

Although differences in the pronunciation of the z (and sometimes c ) are the most well-known of the geographical differences in Spanish pronunciation, they aren't the only ones.

Another well-known regional variation involves yeísmo , the tendency, common almost everywhere, for the ll and the y to share to share the same sound. Thus, in most areas, pollo (chicken) and poyo (a type of bench) are pronounced alike. But in parts of South America, the sound of the ll can be something like the "s" in "measure," also called a "zh" sound. And sometimes the sound can be something like the "j" or "sh" of English.

Other regional variations include the softening or disappearance of the s sound and a merging of the l and r sounds.

The cause of all these variations is much as the same as for the regional variations in the z—isolation of some speakers can lead to diverging pronunciations.

Key Takeaways

• Languages such as English and Spanish that cover wide geographical areas tend to develop regional differences in pronunciation.
• Such a natural change in regional pronunciation—and not a long-ago royal edict as is sometimes believed—is responsible for the z (and c before e or i ) being pronounced differently in Latin America than in Spain.
• Those used to the Latin American pronunciation should not think of the pronunciation of Spain ans being inferior, or vice versa—differences exist, but neither type of Spanish is inherently better.
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• Pronouncing the 'C' and 'Z'
• Pronouncing the Difficult Consonants of Spanish
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• Pronouncing the Spanish G and J
• 10 Myths About Spanish and the People Who Speak It
• How To Pronounce the S
• Pronouncing the K and Q
• 10 Facts About the Spanish Language
• Spanish Verb Explicar Conjugation
• Mainstream Success of Del Toro Film May Bode Well for Spanish-Language Cinema
• Origin, Usage, and Pronunciation of the Spanish ‘E’

• Share full article

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Putting New York Times Games to the Test

Meet some of the people who play each game and solve each puzzle before subscribers see them.

By Deb Amlen

Getting paid to play games and solve puzzles sounds like a dream job, doesn’t it? Those who do dream about such a job probably set the possibility aside because they believe that only the most experienced solvers might qualify for it.

“When I tell people about this paid side job, I always describe it as a dream I didn’t know I had,” said Christopher A. Jackson, who tests the daily crossword.

This may come as a surprise but, for the most part, the 20 testers who play The New York Times’s puzzles and games before publication are not necessarily solving experts. Some of them are puzzle makers, but others in the group could best be described as puzzle civilians: They have no close ties to the puzzle community, but some are personally acquainted with one of the Games editors. Some have solved Times puzzles before, while others have not.

Choosing testers who are acquainted with the editors and vary in experience was intentional, according to Everdeen Mason, the editorial director of New York Times Games. “We started with people we knew and could trust to give good feedback,” she said.

That difference in the testers’ solving experiences informs the puzzle editors’ work, which in turn makes the games more accessible to people like Elizabeth Hira, a lawyer in Brooklyn.

“I specifically chose to join as a tester because I definitely grew up thinking crossword puzzles just weren’t for people like me, meaning people who hadn’t spent their youth traipsing along German rivers or attending the opera,” she said. “The Times Crossword just felt inaccessible.”

Diversity in age and race plays an important role in selecting testers. Will Shortz, the 71-year-old Crossword editor, hired Joel Fagliano as an intern — he’s now the digital puzzles editor — in an effort to bring a younger pair of eyes to the puzzles, and others in Mr. Shortz’s circle would contribute feedback as well. But Ms. Mason has since pushed for more changes.

“I thought that in order to make the best puzzles, we needed the following: more transparency about what the solvers are saying, diversity in demographics of solvers and varying puzzle-solving skill sets to make sure we’re getting as many perspectives as possible,” Ms. Mason said. The Games editors welcomed the expansion idea, she added.

“They are always looking for feedback and for ways to improve their editing,” she said.

The expanded Crossword testing program began in 2021. In 2023, Ms. Mason and the puzzle editors added testers for the Spelling Bee, the Mini, Wordle and Connections.

“The fact that the Games team recognized that it needed more diverse viewpoints looking at its puzzles was a great first step,” said Mr. Jackson, who worked as a copy editor with Tracy Bennett before she joined The Times to edit the Crossword and Wordle. “The culture changes and language changes. It’s difficult to stay on top of things if one sticks to the same old, same old.”

Jackson Friese, who sings in a choir with Ms. Bennett, tests the Mini and Wordle. “Testing is needed to make sure that everyone can play and feel good about the game when all is said and done,” he said.

“I wouldn’t want people to play a word that’s offensive to them or reminds them of something bad happening in the world,” he added. “Games are meant to be fun for everyone.”

The testing process is fairly simple, at least as far as the testers are concerned. Shehara Ranasinghe, a producer on the Games team, was hired in February to take over the program from Ms. Mason and Dylan Campbell, another producer. She is tasked with running — and improving — the testing process. Miss Ranasinghe sends a week’s worth of games to the testers, along with an online feedback form for each game they’re testing. The responses are due four or five days later. The games that the testers receive are scheduled to be published three or four weeks in the future.

In addition to being asked to spot errors and evaluate difficulty levels, the testers answer questions about how the puzzle made them feel and whether they uncovered anything insensitive while playing, such as racial slurs or questionably timed entries.

“I remember one of the earliest puzzles we tested had a theme where the gimmick of the theme answers was having a lisp,” Ms. Hira said. “I know a lisp to be a speech impediment, and honestly that puzzle just felt a bit like punching down to me, even if it wasn’t a patently offensive or expressly ableist concept.”

Some of the testers wistfully expressed feelings of isolation after submitting their forms because they were not told whether their feedback had resulted in a change to the game they were evaluating.

“I have no idea if my ideal puzzle is aligned with what the editors want,” said Chandi Deitmer, who tests Connections and Strands for The Times and is the puzzle editor at Elevate Labs. “But hopefully whatever nonsense I come up with is helpful to them!”

Caleb McKerley, a Spelling Bee tester who is an account manager for a tech company, also voiced a desire for more feedback — and more agency.

“I’d love to know if this is actually helpful and what I could provide to be even more improved,” Mr. McKerley said. “I would also love the power to veto a word in Spelling Bee, as I am sure most players would as well.”

Miss Ranasinghe said that she had already started improving the process, and that she considered adapting the program based on testers’ suggestions to be an important part of her job. “I sent out a form last week asking testers for feedback on the process itself,” she said. As a result of that query, a Slack channel was added in which the testers can share feedback and opinions on the puzzles with each other, as well as consult with one another on their experiences.

Once the puzzles have been evaluated by the testers, Miss Ranasinghe follows up with questions and then sends the responses to the puzzle editors for review. Mr. Fagliano, for example, reviews the feedback for the daily crossword with Christina Iverson, another puzzle editor, and together they make the decision whether to change something.

“When evaluating tester feedback, we use the number of people who object as a meaningful sign,” Mr. Fagliano said. “If a clue using wordplay goes completely over the head of three testers, that’s usually a reason to change. We also find it helpful when testers fully explain their objections and provide alternative solutions. That can be a better guide than just ‘I didn’t love the clue for 49-Across.’”

The testers vary in the way they get through the bundles of games they receive: Some play the puzzles all at once, and others spread out their solving.

Mr. McKerley, doesn’t remember how he managed to get a spot in the Spelling Bee testing group, but he admits that it’s a lot of work. “I do my absolute best to get as close to Queen Bee as possible for each game, but sometimes my brain starts to lose efficiency around Game 5 or 6.”

“Sometimes I find the time during the work day to get them started,” Mr. McKerley continued. “Most of the work happens on Sunday evenings once my daughter goes to bed as a way to distract from my Sunday scaries.”

Sarah Lyall, a reporter for The Times who is also a tester, takes a different approach. “I do three Connections at a time, in two batches, and then save the seventh for some time a bit later,” she said. “I can get all those done in the same day rather than letting them linger.”

“I save my lingering for the Spelling Bee,” she added, “which was put on this earth to drive me insane.”

In an earlier version of this article, Elizabeth Hira’s location was misstated. Ms. Hira lives in Brooklyn, not Washington, D.C.

In an earlier version of this article, Will Shortz’s age was misstated. He is 71, not 72.

How we handle corrections

Deb Amlen is a games columnist for The Times. She helps readers learn to solve the Times Crossword, and writes about games, puzzles and language. More about Deb Amlen

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