Understanding and Addressing a Child’s Lateral Lisp: An Evidence-Based Guide for Parents
- Sounderic
- Aug 10, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 15
Many parents notice that their child’s “s” or “z” sounds seem “slushy,” muffled, or hard to understand. This could be a lateral lisp. This blog is aimed to provide you with valuable insights into what a lateral lisp is, its potential causes, the process of diagnosis and treatment, and effective home exercises that can support your child in overcoming this speech challenge.
What is lateral lisp?
A lateral lisp happens when a child produces sounds like “s,” “z,” and sometimes “sh,” “ch,” or “zh” by letting air escape over the sides of the tongue instead of down the middle. This changes the way the sound comes out, giving it a “slushy” or muffled quality. Unlike some childhood lisps, a lateral lisp is not considered a typical developmental phase and generally does not resolve on its own.
Typically, during the production of these sounds, the tongue makes contact with the alveolar ridge (the bumpy area behind the upper front teeth). However, in children with a lateral lisp, the tongue allows air to escape over the sides, resulting in a slushy sound. As a result, words like "sun" may be pronounced as "thun," and "zip" may sound like "thip."
What Causes a Lateral Lisp?
Determining the underlying cause of lateral lisp is just as important as diagnosing, for effectively treating the condition. A lateral lisp can happen for several reasons, often involving more than one factor.
1. Structural Factors: The shape of the palate, dental alignment, or structure of the tongue can make it harder for the tongue to seal properly and direct airflow down the middle.
2. Oral-Motor Factors: Weak or poorly coordinated tongue muscles, or a low or side-lying tongue posture, can affect how sounds are made.
3. Oral Habits: Habits like thumb-sucking, pacifier use, or mouth breathing can change tongue posture and the shape of the palate over time.
4. Speech Motor Learning: Some children simply learn to make the "s" sound incorrectly and may not realize their airflow is going out the sides.
5. Hearing and Auditory Skills: Mild hearing issues can make it harder for a child to hear and correct their speech errors.
How is a lateral lisp diagnosed?
If you notice any speech concerns in your child, seeking a professional evaluation is essential. A speech therapist will conduct a thorough assessment to diagnose the lateral lisp and develop an appropriate treatment plan.
Case History: Speech-language pathologist collects information about speech development, onset of the lisp, any prior therapy, oral habits (thumb-sucking, pacifier), and medical/dental history.
Hearing Screening: To rule out hearing-related influences.
Oral Motor Exam: We observe tongue mobility, strength, resting posture, symmetry, range of motion, lingual frenulum, palate shape, dental occlusion.
Articulation Analysis: Eliciting and sampling the child’s productions of /s/, /z/, /sh/, /ch/ etc. in various positions (initial, medial, final, blends) to see in which contexts errors appear or are possibly correct.
Stimulability Testing: Speech therapist checks whether the child can produce the sound correctly with cues or supports (visual, tactile, modeling).
Phonetic Contexts: Sometimes the child may produce /s/ correctly in certain phonetic contexts (for example, in /ts/ cluster) which gives clues to therapy entry points.
Why early evaluation matters?
Because speech-motor habits become more entrenched over time, beginning therapy earlier allows for easier habit change and neural plasticity.
Evidence-Based Treatment Strategies for a Lateral Lisp
Once a lateral lisp has been identified, therapy focuses on retraining how the tongue moves and directs airflow during speech. The speech therapist will tailor a treatment plan based on your child's specific needs. Here are evidence-informed methods and clinical strategies used by SLPs at Sounderic currently working with lateral lisps:
Shaping the /s/ Sound from /t/
Therapists often start with the "t" sound (like saying “t-t-t”) and stretch it into an "s".
Think of it like teaching your tongue a new dance step — starting with something it already knows, then adding the next move smoothly.
Using Mirrors, Cues, and Feedback
Children use mirrors to watch their tongue or gentle touch cues to feel where it should be. Tools like straws help them blow air straight ahead instead of sideways.
It’s like using a mirror to fix your hair — they can “see” when their speech looks right!
Strengthening Tongue and Mouth Muscles
Fun exercises strengthen tongue movement and help it stay in the middle where it belongs. Kids may practice tongue clicks, slides, or “butterfly tongue” (keeping the sides up).
It’s like a mini workout for the tongue — building strength and control for clearer speech.
Step-by-Step Practice Levels
Therapy follows a gentle ladder of progress — starting from single sounds, then syllables, words, phrases, and finally sentences and conversation.
Building Real-Life Use and Confidence
Once your child can say the sound correctly in therapy, they practice it while reading, playing, or chatting at home. Parents can cheer them on and make it fun!
It’s like taking training wheels off — the real skill shows up in everyday talking.
Consistent Practice and Patience
Short, regular therapy sessions plus daily home practice work best. Progress can be gradual, but small wins add up over time.
Just like watering a plant every day, steady practice helps your child’s speech blossom.
A Note for Parents
Your child’s progress may feel slow at times, but every little milestone counts. Lateral lisps can take patience and steady practice to correct — and with the right support, most children show wonderful improvement. Partner closely with your SLP, stay consistent with home activities, and celebrate your child’s effort as much as their success.
Home Exercises to Help a Child with Lateral Lisp
As parents, you play a crucial role in your child's speech development journey. Early intervention can be quite helpful as young minds have great potential to grasp things. Regular practice at home, along with speech therapy can be quite helpful for the child to overcome the condition. Here are some effective home exercises to help your child with a lateral lisp:
Exercise | Purpose / How to Do It | Tips / Variation |
Straw practice | Place a straw between the front teeth. Ask the child to blow through it while attempting /s/. If airflow is central, they’ll feel vibration or a hiss. | Use water under the straw (bubble) so the child sees airflow. |
Tongue Twisters | Engage your child in playful tongue twisters that contain multiple "s" and "z" sounds. | |
Tongue clicking | Move the tongue side-to-side inside the mouth; click the tongue gently; trace the roof of the mouth. | Helps strengthen the tongue muscles. |
Reading aloud | Choose books with many words. Pause and let the child try the word. Encourage gentle self-monitoring. | Praise attempts; repeat slowly if errors occur. |
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a lisp “normal” at a certain age?
Some frontal lisps (tongue between teeth) are developmentally common in young children and may resolve by ~4–5 years. But a lateral lisp is not usually considered part of typical speech development and often requires therapy.
Can a child “outgrow” a lateral lisp without intervention?
It’s unlikely. Most clinicians consider lateral lisps as non-developmental and not self-resolving.
When should I seek an evaluation?
If by age 5 (or earlier) your child is still producing slushy "s" or "z", and intelligibility is affected (people often ask “What?”), You should consult an SLP. Also, if the child is older and hasn’t improved. Earlier is better.
Is online speech therapy effective for articulation issues like lateral lisp?
Yes, many SLPs now deliver effective articulation therapy via telepractice, using video, shared screens, mirrors, visual cues, and parent coaching. Consistency, good internet, and engagement are key.
Are home exercises enough, or is professional therapy required?
Home practice is essential, but professional guidance ensures correct targets, cues, and monitoring. Self-practice without proper technique risks reinforcing incorrect habits.
For a list of various words with S blend refer: S Sound Speech Therapy: Causes & Treatment
At Sounderic, our certified Speech-Language Pathologists (SLPs) provide online speech therapy sessions for children with various communication disorders. We use fun, evidence-based techniques to help your child speak clearly and confidently — from the comfort of home.
We would love to help you! Get in touch with us on WhatsApp or schedule a consultation with us at https://www.sounderic.com/service-page/speech-language-consultation-for-kids to get started.
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Reference:
https://www.asha.org/public/speech/disorders/Speech-Sound-Disorders/
Caruso, A., Grunwell, P., Athanasiou, K., & Thanos, E. (2021). Assessment and Treatment of Speech Sound Disorders: A Comprehensive Approach. Plural Publishing.
Bauman-Waengler, J. (2018). Articulation and Phonological Disorders: Speech Sound Disorders in Children. Pearson.
Campbell, T. F., Dollaghan, C. A., & Janosky, J. E. (2007). Phonological whole-word measures predict later speech improvement in children with phonological disorders. Journal of Speech, Language, and Hearing Research, 50(2), 489-505.
