2 Best Ways to Fix a Lateral Lisp

[@d_erren]

hey. i have a lisp that makes my s’s sound like “SZZZ”. theres no other way to put it than it sounds horrible. do you know the problem? lived with it forever and im 16

[@therapyworkstogether]

The difference between an S and Z is the activation/vibration of the vocal folds. Saying an S sound keeps the vibration off and a Z sound turns them on. This is also the main difference between a K and G, and a P and B. A speech therapist can help you identify what the issue is and how to work on fixing it.

[@d_erren]

@@therapyworkstogether thanks

[@suefromerie1]

There is a phoneme that is its own classification like in the middle of the word “measure”. Its the /zh/ (this unvouced ‘sh’ now voiced ‘zh’).

[@inanutshell5204]

Life saver! I had a lateral lisp because no one told me about tongue placement, never knew your tongue was supposed to be placed behind your front teeth, always thought it had to be pressing against your right teeth, and no one ever corrected me. Managed to fix it in a week but sometimes I have to stop subconsciously placing my tongue on the right side due to old habits.

[@Rika5589]

Speech therapy has come such a long way since I was a kid! I ended up just having to figure it out on my own since my speech therapist focused on teeth placement, not tongue placement. I'm better than when I was a kid, but still get asked what "accent" I have. Would going back to speech therapy help make my lateral list go away completely? Or is it impossible to hide all evidence of it? I know I shouldn't be but I'm very self-conscious of it. And if I start getting overly excited about something I get twisted up with my tongue and my lateral lisp becomes more apparent

[@therapyworkstogether]

Hi, and thanks so much for your comment! Sometimes techniques and research changes (even in speech therapy), so we know now how to help those with a lateral lisp. Going back to speech therapy would help teach you the skills and then practice them. The most important part is to practice at home - often! Self practice is what helps make the most difference. I understand you getting self conscious ... and of course, when you are excited and speak faster, there is less time to coordinate the movements of your tongue so a lisp may become more apparent. See if you can find a therapist in your area to help you get started and help you get to the next level.

[@kathenavarro6850]

I have never been told how to make the s sound correctly, just that I was doing it wrong. I never knew where my tongue was supposed to be. It's going to be really hard to go retrain myself. Is there spray therapy for adults?

[@JG-mc7kr]

this is p embarassing but...i am 33 and am trying to (finally) fix my lateral lisp and although i can do the Tttt method and make a proper S sound, i am finding that i am over pronouncing the S sound when i read a book out loud...what can i do to fix this?

[@therapyworkstogether9763]

Thank you for your question. Importantly first, for a lateral lisp, is where the air flow is coming out. When the "s" sound is pronounced, does the air flow out of the sides of your mouth or the front? If it's out the sides, work on that first. If it is out of the front, you can start by working on decreasing the "s" sound when you read aloud. To decrease overpronouncing the sound when you read aloud, first practice with simple single words. when your pronunciation is accurate, move to short phrases. When the phrases are accurate move on to longer sentences like when reading a book. Increase the level of complexity but only when accuracy for simple tasks are correct.

[@JG-mc7kr]

@@therapyworkstogether9763 i have now completely conquered my lisp after 34 years. wild.

[@therapyworkstogether]

@@JG-mc7kr This is wonderful! It is never too late :) Great work.

[@Anil75987]

@@JG-mc7krI am in the same position as you, how did you get rid of your lisp?

[@JG-mc7kr]

​@@Anil75987 read outloud, record yourself and watch it back. the "tttt" to "sss" technique should be all you need

[@LaurenMcCarthy-l9m]

Hiya I’m a teen from the UK and your videos have helped me so much with my lisp subsequently helped me so much social anxiety! I especially love the exploding T technique however I have one issue, what technique would you recommend for pronouncing the x and k sound properly with a lisp, as it makes a really gushy sound with my lisp when I try and say it??

[@Melii.Cindy03]

Can you help with how to correct lateral lisp with SH? My client knows how to do /s/ without lateralizing but for some reason they CANT connect the dots with sh. Is their tongue supposed to be in a diff spot ?

[@sat0m_i236]

I'm already 16 and here i am trying to correct my lateral lisp (which i am very insecured of) on my own LOL I FEEL SO BAD but thank u so much for this

[@therapyworkstogether]

Hi, thank you for reaching out. A lateral lisp and other speech issues can make people very self conscious and the feelings around this issue are difficult to deal with. These feelings can have an impact on our self confidence. A lateral lisp is difficult to fix on your own. It is recommended to speak with a parent about this (since you are under 18) and get help from a trained speech therapist. A lateral lisp does not go away on its own. You should feel wonderful about yourself even with the lisp! We know this is hard to understand, but you are wonderful the way you are!

[@dxadly]

same here🙁i’m 17 and i’ve struggled with one my whole life, for years i’ve refused to say words with s sounds in infront of anyone because i don’t want them to know that i have one, but now i’m really panicking because i have a presentation at college soon

[@harshalnerikar4650]

see i had it too till the 15th of my age and i have dealt with samw things that you all did. Getting mocked by friends relatives etc. But lateral lisp isn't because of abnormality in your mouth structure it is just the way you speak. I am 17 now and now i have got rid of it Some tips:- use a straw just to get used to the air flow which shouldn't be from the side of your mouth Notice people actors and try to learn the way they speak If you watchinh a movie try to say things the way they do. Don't loose hopes it would get better in a month or two . Be consistent 💪🏻

[@therapyworkstogether9763]

@@harshalnerikar4650 It wonderful that you found a strategy that works for you, and that you consistently used it. It is important to stay a confident communicator.

[@yourgay3046]

@@harshalnerikar4650 how long did it take to get rid of it im 17 now I know the issue with my lisp is the air flow that is being directed sideways

[@ambidadadada]

what about a slushy 'sh' sound??

[@GenerationWTH]

Im 32 and is very insecure of my lateral lisp.

[@therapyworkstogether]

You may want to consider working with a speech therapist for a few sessions and then practicing at home on your own.

[@v.xien.]

I’m confused. When I say words and s sounds it comes out from the front but when I listen to recordings of my voice it still sounds like a lateral lisp. What’s wrong with me? I’m cursed lmao. I also have a very small mouth as an adult have to use kids toothbrushes 😭 is that the problem?

[@therapyworkstogether]

You are NOT cursed, but perhaps you need some extra help from a speech therapist who has a trained ear. They may be able to determine what the "extra 10%" difference between a correct S sound and a lateral lisp sound. Lastly, it may be an oral structure issue (e.g., a smaller oral cavity) but that can only be determined with an exam (in person or online) by a trained speech therapist.

[@suefromerie1]

Maybe its different sounds (besides s). Sh, ch, zh, tr, dr. You may need to individualize your practice to each phoneme.

[@TimmyGamingYT]

I have a slight problem on how to follow the tutorial because my air flow is diagonal and i cant let air out on the left and middle because of my jaw shape, does this mean im stuck with my (diagonal) lisp?

[@paulapenna-loveyourvoice]

I am a voice teacher (singing and public speaking), and I loved this video to help one of my teen singing clients with a lateral lisp. Thank you!

[@therapyworkstogether]

I am so glad that this helped!

[@sylve2474]

I'm a singer with a lateral lisp for sh, ch, and j,,, it's never been a problem in normal speech, but it always comes up when I'm singing,,,, I'm glad you're able to help her with this

[@alinoorie6957]

Thank you so much. Can you please provide the placement of the tongue to avoid lateral list? My tongue feels heavy and I accumulate a lot of saliva when making a proper S and Z sound. Can you please recommend anything to avoid this?

[@Firefly_TheArtist]

As someone within that age range, I am also planning on or currently working on reading Fourth Wing, Six of Crows, Shatter Me, A Good Girls Guide to Murder, Powerless, and A Court of Thorns and Roses. Ones that i have already read and def recommend are Girl in Pieces, The Inheritance Games, Heartstopper, Divergent, Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, Anne of Green Gables, Lord of the Flies, and Cujo. Some of these are not for that age range, like Girl in Pieces (Generally recommended for 18+) and Cujo (Also intended for adults), but it all depends on maturity and what you're allowed to read.

[@thesquirrelwhotriedtoeatme640]

Think u might be on the wrong video but thanks

[@GlemBorb]

im here cuz someone on overwatch told me i had a lisp that i wasn't aware of lol

[@twilightstories9991]

I’m 14 and I have a slight s lisp and a prevalent r lisp, should I see a speech therapist? Or is my voice still maturing?

[@therapyworkstogether]

Hello, By 14 one should be pronouncing all sounds without a lisp (although it is also a personal choice if to remedy). Speech sounds at this age are no longer maturing. If you are under 18, it is recommended to seek advice from a speech therapist after speaking with your parent or guardian.

[@suefromerie1]

Its free to get therapy in schools, once done with school it may or may not be covered.

[@Bob_7542]

I am late to comment but i have a question.During the straw test i saw that air is flowing only from my right side of the mouth.I want to know if that is improvement or just a bigger problem.I have developed this for years now and i usually say the "s" sound but a "h" sound can be heard right after it.Thank you

[@therapyworkstogether]

Depending on the work you have done so far, it may be an improvement but both sides (of the tongue) should be stable and fixed so that air flow is coming out of the front and not the sides.

[@Bob_7542]

​@@therapyworkstogetherSo doing the "t" to an "s" can help me fix this?Thank you for replying

[@therapyworkstogether]

@@Bob_7542 it can also be a matter of needing jaw or tongue stabalization during speech production. So perhaps working with a speech therapist for a few sessions and then practicing at home would help.