2 Simple Things That Might be Impacting Your Child’s Communication (and it’s not Articulation)

by Holly F. Language Building Skills Language Development Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Therapy Techniques

 

girl hand over mouth

Source: newsfeed.time.com

Communication is complicated. How often do you find yourself asking your friend to “say that again?” or misspeak with a wrong word or a nonsense word by mistake? It happens to everyone. Despite well-developed communication skills, even adults can’t speak clearly at times. Why? Because successful communication requires the synchrony one of many skills.  For some children, correcting an articulation error in speech therapy, that sound might only be one piece of the communication puzzle. In fact, that’s exactly why speech pathologists do an evaluation, to assess, using an arsenal of measures, many elements of communication. Fortunately for parents who might be concerned, there are two simple things that might be impacting a child’s communication that can be easily addressed.

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How to Improve Articulation

by Jacky G. Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Therapy Techniques
Child using Megaphone

Image source: Parents.org.uk

You’ve probably had this experience before: you’re at a playgroup or birthday party with your child, and you’re trying to converse with the other little ones there. But the kid’s speech is difficult to understand, and you have to call his parent over to interpret. Or maybe you have to guess a few times before you can figure out what your own child is saying. It’s perfectly normal for a young child to pronounce “room” as “woom” and “sun” as “thun.” Some children master most or all sounds by five years of age, while others master articulation by the age of eight. If you believe your child might be struggling with articulation, you can request an evaluation by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). If the SLP diagnoses your child with a speech disorder or delay, speech therapy can help improve articulation. You can also use some simple, fun activities at home to encourage proper articulation.

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Celebrities with Lisps

by Jacky G. Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders
Person with a Lisp

Image source: Ehow.com

As a parent, one of the hardest things is to see your child struggle. We wish we could protect them from everything, including being bullied or feeling low self-esteem because of a difference. As a child with a speech disorder grows older and begins to attend playgroups and school, other children might call attention to the differences in his speech and language patterns. Having positive role models who also struggled with these issues might help your child overcome this. Numerous celebrities have been diagnosed with speech disorders, including lisps. Discuss these stories with your child and remind him that he can accomplish anything he puts his mind to.

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Summer Reading: Articulation Resources

by Jacky G. Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Therapy Techniques
Teach Me How to Say It Right

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As the parent or caregiver of a child with a speech disorder, you try to make sure that he has all the speech therapy tools he needs to succeed. Speech therapy at-home exercises are also important, but when your child is bored to tears with flashcards, it’s time for some new ideas to keep your young audience engaged. Check out the following books on articulation to learn more about your child’s speech disorder and to get some fresh ideas for speech therapy for kids at home.

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Understanding Dentalized Lisps

by Jacky G. Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders
Speech Therapist Working with Child

Image source: specialschool.org.uk

A dentalized lisp is similar to a frontal or interdental lisp. With a frontal lisp, the child protrudes the tongue through the front teeth when pronouncing the “s” and “z” sounds. Children with a dentalized lisp push the tongue up against the front teeth, rather than through the front teeth. A dentalized lisp may arise during typical speech development. Some children with a dentalized lisp “grow out of it” by the time they are about four years old. However, it’s always best to bring your child to a speech-language pathologist (SLP), even if you think he might grow out of his articulation difficulty.

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Understanding Lateral Lisps

by Jacky G. Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders
Speech Therapist Working with Teen

Image source: speechlanguagepathologyjobs.net

Some types of lisps (frontal and dentalized) can arise during normal development. This is not the case with lateral or palatal lisps. When vocalizing the “s” and “z” sounds, a child with a lateral lisp directs air flow over the sides of the tongue, rather than straight down the middle of the tongue. This is often a result of incorrect tongue placement. Speech-language pathologist (SLP) Caroline Bowen notes that children with a lateral lisp often use a tongue placement for the “s” and “z” sounds that is quite similar to the tongue placement for an “l” sound.

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Understanding Palatal Lisps

by Jacky G. Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders
Speech Therapist Working with Child

Image source: thechildwellnesscenter.com

Sometimes, a child can naturally “grow out of” a lisp. However, a palatal lisp is not a developmental problem, which means that your child is not likely to grow out of it. A palatal lisp occurs when your child touches the middle of his tongue to the soft palate when he pronounces the “s” and “z” sounds.

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Understanding Frontal Lisps

by Jacky G. Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders
Lisp T-Shirt

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Children with a lisp have trouble articulating the “z” and “s” sounds. While young children often have trouble pronouncing sounds, children over the age of eight can typically articulate the “s” sound. Children typically begin to learn the “z” sound at about four years of age, and they typically have a firm grasp on the sound by the time they are eight. If your child is over the age of eight and still displays a lisp, have him evaluated by a speech-language pathologist (SLP). It’s also a good idea to bring him to an SLP earlier if you think he may be displaying a language delay. The earlier a child with a lisp receives speech therapy, the more readily his articulation may be corrected.

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What is Tongue Thrust?

by Jacky G. Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders Speech Therapy Techniques
Child Sticking Tongue Out

Image source: cher-homespun.blogspot.com

Tongue thrust is an orofacial myofunctional disorder (OMD). Formerly called reverse swallow or deviate swallow, tongue thrust refers to the tongue pressing up against the teeth or between them while swallowing. Some tongue thrusters move the tongue inappropriately to the sides, rather than forward to the teeth. Improper tongue positioning can also occur while the tongue is at rest, in which case it may lie too far forward.

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Help for Children with Lisps

by Jacky G. Pronunciation & Lisps Speech Disorders
Child Covering Her Mouth

Image source: theparentszone.com

If your child is diagnosed with a lisp, it means that he has trouble pronouncing “s” and “z” sounds. There are four types of lisps:

  • A palatal lisp means that when your child tries to make an “s” or a “z” sound, his tongue contacts the soft palate.
  • A lateral lisp means that air travels out of either side of the tongue. Children with a lateral lisp produce “s” and “z” sounds that sound “slushy.”
  • A dentalized lisp means that your child’s tongue makes contact with his teeth while producing the “s” and “z” sounds.
  • An interdental lisp, sometimes called a frontal lisp, means that the tongue pushes forward through the teeth, creating a “th” sound instead of an “s” or “z” sound.

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