Speech & Language Support Services reposted this
Director, Senior Speech Pathologist, Mentor, Author of Sounds-Letters, Speaker and Presenter | Passing on my knowledge to the next generation of speechies | Coach Challenge Cheer.
May the fourth I mean the force be with you. Lisps cause all sorts of troubles and although often seen as a little problem it can be indicative of bigger issues such as mouth breathing and even immature swallowing patterns. Lisps can be simple and impact just s and z or can be complex and impact other sounds such as t, d, n, l, sh, zh, ch and j. Many well meaning people tell kids to close their teeth and smile but that isn't how the s and z sounds are made. It can lead children to develop jaw slides and too much tension in facial muscles and lips which are not required for these sounds. The other big issue is that the tongue can sit directly behind the teeth placing too much pressure over time causing them to move forward and outward. The lateral lisp that slushy sound is one of the hardest for children to overcome but the secret is teaching the back of the tongue to block air between the teeth while still elevating the tip of the tongue to make a clear s sound. It's time to master the s and z sounds and control that lisp.
