How to Fix a Lateral Lisp: A Speech Therapist's Guide for Children and Adults
- Stephanie Jeret
- Sep 9, 2024
- 9 min read
Updated: Aug 23
A lateral lisp is different from the type of lisp that many young children naturally outgrow. Instead of directing airflow through the center of the mouth, air escapes over one or both sides of the tongue, creating a slushy or distorted speech sound.
Because lateral lisps are not considered developmental, they typically do not resolve on their own and often benefit from speech therapy.
Whether you're concerned about your child's speech or you're an adult looking to improve your own speech clarity, understanding why a lateral lisp occurs is the first step toward correcting it.
In This Article, You'll Learn:
What Is a Lateral Lisp?
The Different Types of Lisps
What Causes a Lateral Lisp?
How Is a Lateral Lisp Evaluated?
How Speech Therapy Helps Correct a Lateral Lisp
Home Practice Strategies
Frequently Asked Questions
The Different Types of Lisps
Before focusing on lateral lisps specifically, it's helpful to understand that there are several different types of lisps. Although they may sound similar, each type has a different underlying cause and may require a different treatment approach.
If you're unsure which type of lisp your child has, you may find my article How to Get Rid of a Lisp helpful. It explains the different types of lisps, when they are considered developmental, and when speech therapy may be beneficial.
Frontal Lisp
A frontal lisp occurs when the tongue moves too far forward during speech, often touching or protruding between the front teeth. This causes sounds such as /s/ and /z/ to sound more like "th." Unlike a lateral lisp, the airflow still moves forward through the center of the mouth.
Lateral Lisp
A lateral lisp occurs when air escapes over one or both sides of the tongue instead of flowing through the center of the mouth. This creates the slushy speech quality that many people associate with a lateral lisp. Unlike a frontal lisp, the problem is not that the tongue is too far forward—it's that the airflow is moving in the wrong direction.
Dental Lisp
A dental lisp occurs when the tongue rests against the front teeth during speech rather than behind them. Although the tongue does not protrude between the teeth, this position can still distort speech sounds.
Palatal Lisp
A palatal lisp is less common and occurs when the middle of the tongue contacts the roof of the mouth during speech. This alters normal airflow and results in distorted speech sounds.
What Is a Lateral Lisp?
A lateral lisp occurs when air escapes over one or both sides of the tongue instead of traveling through the center of the mouth. This creates the “slushy” or distorted quality commonly associated with a lateral lisp.
A lateral lisp can affect several speech sounds, including /s/, /z/, /sh/, /ch/, /zh/, and /j/. Because a lateral lisp is not considered a typical developmental speech pattern, children generally do not simply outgrow it. Adults can also continue to have a lateral lisp if the speech pattern was never corrected.
How Is a Lateral Lisp Evaluated?
A lateral lisp can affect several speech sounds, including /s/, /z/, /sh/, /ch/, /zh/, and /j/. These sounds appear in words such as "sip," "zoo," "ship," "chew," "casual," and "jam." Instead of directing air through the center of the mouth, the airflow escapes over one or both sides of the tongue, creating the characteristic slushy sound.
During a speech evaluation, I'll determine which sounds are affected, observe how the tongue and airflow are working together, and identify the underlying movement pattern causing the lisp. This information helps me develop an individualized treatment plan rather than using the same techniques for every person.
What Causes a Lateral Lisp?
A lateral lisp can develop for several different reasons, which is why a thorough speech evaluation is so important. One of the most common causes is incorrect tongue placement, allowing air to escape over the sides of the tongue instead of flowing through the center of the mouth.
Structural differences, such as a high or narrow palate, misaligned teeth, or reduced tongue mobility (for example, from a tongue tie), may also contribute to a lateral lisp. In some children, oral habits such as prolonged thumb sucking, extended pacifier use, or chronic mouth breathing can influence tongue posture and speech development over time.
If your child has difficulty producing multiple speech sounds—not just sounds affected by a lateral lisp—you may also find my article Speech Sound Disorder vs. Articulation Disorder helpful.
How Speech Therapy Helps Correct a Lateral Lisp
Every person with a lateral lisp has slightly different tongue movements, so therapy begins by identifying the underlying cause of the speech error. Rather than using the same techniques for everyone, I determine which cueing strategies and tongue positions are most effective for each individual.
Once an accurate speech sound is established, therapy gradually progresses from sounds in isolation to words, phrases, sentences, and eventually everyday conversation. Home practice is also an important part of helping new speech patterns carry over into daily life.
Because a lateral lisp is one type of articulation disorder, therapy may also address other speech sound errors if they are present.
Lateral Lisp Exercises: Building a Clear /s/ Sound
Before starting this technique, make sure you can consistently produce the /t/ sound on its own.
The following activity is one example of a technique that may help some individuals develop a correct /s/ sound. Because every lateral lisp is different, these exercises may not be appropriate for everyone.
Step 1: Begin by repeating the /t/ sound quickly, saying "t-t-t-t." Try to avoid adding any vowel sounds, as this helps press the sides of your tongue more firmly against your teeth.
As you repeat the /t/ sound rapidly, listen carefully—you might notice a slight /s/ sound between the repetitions.
Step 2: Next, make the /t/ sound and allow a small amount of air to escape at the end, creating a softer sound. Focus on letting the airflow follow the /t/ rather than trying to produce an /s/ directly.
Step 3: Once you're able to produce the /ts/ sound, move on to the next step. It's important to get a clear /s/ at the end of this step to ensure the sound is being made correctly. This step may take some time—practice saying "t-t-t-tssss" repeatedly until it sounds right.
Step 4: Once you've mastered this, practice words that end in /ts/, such as "eats," "beets," "meets," and "hits." Be sure these words don’t contain other /s/ sounds.
Step 5: Finally, use this practice to help you produce the /s/ sound at the beginning of words. Try combining an ending /ts/ sound with a word that starts with /s/.
For example:
"He hits even."
"He hitssssss even."
"He hitsssss seven."
Once you're able to produce a clear /s/ sound, continue practicing it in single words, short phrases, sentences, reading activities, and eventually everyday conversation. Consistent practice over time is what helps new speech patterns become automatic.
Lateral Lisp Exercises for the /sh/ Sound
Just like the /s/ sound, there are several different ways to teach /sh/ depending on the individual's speech pattern. The following activity is one example of a technique that may be helpful for some people with a lateral lisp.
Step 1: Start by producing the /n/ sound: Place your tongue tip against the ridge just behind your upper front teeth as if you're about to say /n/.
Step 2: Pull the tongue back slightly: While maintaining the tongue's position on the ridge, gently pull your tongue back slightly in your mouth.
Step 3: Bite down gradually: Slowly bring your upper and lower teeth together, lightly touching but not pressing hard.
Step 4: Pucker your lips a little: Slightly round your lips, as if you were about to whistle, while keeping your teeth lightly together.
Step 5: Blow air: Finally, exhale softly, directing the airflow over the tongue and through the small space between your teeth.
Practice this sequence several times to get comfortable with the movement and the sound it produces.
If these activities are not producing a clear /sh/ sound, that's okay. One of the advantages of speech therapy is identifying which cueing strategies work best for each individual rather than expecting everyone to respond to the same technique.
Can Adults Fix a Lateral Lisp?
Yes. Adults can learn to correct a lateral lisp, even if they have produced their speech sounds this way for many years. Treatment typically begins by identifying the tongue position and airflow pattern contributing to the lateral lisp and then finding cues that help establish a clear speech sound.
Once the correct sound is established, practice gradually progresses from individual sounds to words, phrases, sentences, reading, and conversation. Because an adult may have used the same speech pattern for many years, consistent practice is important for helping the new speech pattern become more automatic in everyday conversation.
Speech therapy can also help adults identify which lateral lisp exercises and cueing strategies are most effective for their individual speech pattern.
What to Expect During Speech Therapy
During speech therapy, my goal is to identify the tongue movements that are contributing to the lateral lisp and select cueing strategies that fit the individual's needs. Once a clear speech sound is established, therapy progresses from sounds in isolation to words, phrases, sentences, reading, and everyday conversation.
Parent involvement is an important part of therapy. I'll provide home practice recommendations that fit naturally into everyday routines so progress continues between sessions. When appropriate, I also collaborate with teachers and other professionals to help support carryover across environments.
Lateral lisp therapy may target /s/ and /z/ as well as other affected sounds such as /sh/, /ch/, /zh/, and /j/, depending on the individual's speech pattern.
Looking for Help With a Lateral Lisp?
A lateral lisp is highly treatable with individualized speech therapy. The first step is identifying why the airflow is escaping over the sides of the tongue and selecting the cueing strategies that work best for that individual.
With consistent practice, many children and adults learn to produce clear speech and carry those new speech patterns into everyday conversations.
If you're wondering whether speech therapy would be helpful for you or your child, I'd be happy to discuss your concerns during a free consultation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do children typically outgrow lisps?
If you're unsure whether your child has a frontal lisp or a lateral lisp, my article How to Get Rid of a Lisp explains the differences between the various types of lisps.
Does my child require speech therapy to fix a lisp?
You may also find my Articulation Therapy page helpful if you're trying to decide whether an evaluation is appropriate.
Can adults fix a lateral lisp?
Yes. Adults can learn to correct a lateral lisp with appropriate speech therapy and consistent practice. Treatment focuses on establishing the correct tongue position and airflow for affected sounds and then practicing those sounds in increasingly complex speaking situations.
Can a lisp affect my child's self-confidence?
Lisps can often impact a child's self-confidence if they are aware that their speech differs from their peers. They may avoid using sounds affected by their lisp, limiting what they want to say.
Can thumb sucking cause a lisp?
Thumb sucking can cause a low tongue resting posture, which can lead to a variety of issues, including a lisp.
Can tongue-tie (ankyloglossia) cause a lisp?
A tongue-tie can cause a low tongue resting posture and a range of issues, including a lisp.
Can lisps impact professional communication in adults?
Lisps can impact speech production and, therefore, professional communication in adults.
What are the long-term effects of an untreated lisp?
Untreated lisps can cause low self-confidence, discomfort when speaking, and limited social and professional opportunities.
Can speech therapy help with other communication challenges alongside a lisp?
Yes. In addition to treating lisps, speech-language pathologists also help individuals with speech sound disorders, language disorders, stuttering, and other communication challenges. The treatment plan depends on each person's individual needs.
Is it possible for a lisp to get worse over time?
Typically, lisps do not worsen over time; however, if the lisp is causing dental changes or if the individual receives a dental appliance (such as a bite plate), the lisp may worsen.
What sounds can be affected by a lateral lisp?
A lateral lisp may affect /s/, /z/, /sh/, /ch/, /zh/, and /j/. The specific sounds affected vary from person to person, which is one reason an individualized speech evaluation can be helpful.
Speech Therapy for Lateral Lisps
If you or your child continue to have difficulty with a lateral lisp, speech therapy can help identify the underlying cause and develop an individualized treatment plan.
I provide in-home speech therapy throughout Chicago's North Shore and online speech therapy for children and adults throughout Illinois and New York.
If you'd like to learn whether speech therapy is the right fit, I'd be happy to speak with you during a free consultation.
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About the author:
Stephanie Jeret, M.S., CCC-SLP, is a speech-language pathologist and owner of Speak with Stephanie, a private speech therapy practice serving children, teens, and adults in Skokie and Chicago's North Shore.
With more than 10 years of experience, Stephanie provides individualized therapy for speech sound disorders, language disorders, stuttering, and other communication challenges. She offers in-home, school-based, and online speech therapy, with a focus on helping clients build practical communication skills they can use in everyday life.
Wondering if speech therapy may be a good fit for you or your child?
Schedule a free consultation with Stephanie to discuss your concerns and learn more about therapy options.
