Lisps In Adults | Providing Speech Therapy For Adults Since 2012

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Comprehensive Lisp Therapy Services for All Needs

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Speech

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Voice

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Communication

Science Of The Lisps

A lisp is a consistently mispronounced sound that is caused by a misplacement of the tongue during speech. Typically, lisps can be divided into two types: a frontal lisp and a lateral lisp. With frontal lisps, the tongue placement is too far forward creating a “th’ sound where the /s/ and /z/ sound should be. For a lateral lisp, the tongue blade is too high and lax causing air to escape over the sides of the tongue creating slushy sounding /s/ and /z/ sounds.Lisps are relatively common and prevalence rates range from 8% to 23% in the general population. We, as speech therapists, regularly work with adults, in Toronto, who were unsuccessfully treated for lisps during the school-aged years and who want to feel more confident while speaking.If speech therapy for your lisp didn’t work in the past, fret not; we can help you resolve your frontal or lateral lisp during adulthood. A lisp can be readily corrected at any age and in as quickly as three months.

Overview of Lisps in Adults

Adults with lisps aren’t “too late.” Whether therapy was never tried or wasn’t effective in childhood, lisps can be successfully treated in adulthood. At WELL SAID, we focus on the sibilants (/s, z, ʃ “sh”, ʒ “zh”, tʃ “ch”, dʒ “j/”) and target both frontal (interdental) and lateral lisps using clear, practical methods grounded in research and clinical experience. Treatment begins with understanding normal production (including tongue placement and airflow) and moves immediately into efficient, skills-building practice.

Incidence and Prevalence of Lisps in Adults

Exact adult prevalence varies. In one university cohort of young adults, about 23% showed a frontal lisp on /s/ and /z/ during a standardized reading task. The prevalence in the general population is likely lower, but residual lisps persisting into adulthood are not rare.

Signs and Symptoms of Lisps

The following features commonly indicate a persistent lisp in adults: – Distorted /s/ and /z/ (“slushy” or “whistled” quality). – Possible spillover to /ʃ ʒ tʃ dʒ/; sometimes /r/ or /l/. – Errors persist across conversation, reading, and sometimes careful speech. – Not explained by accent, hearing loss, or recent injury.

Causes of Lisps

Most adult lisps reflect a learned motor pattern (imprecise tongue placement and airflow) that became habitual. Contributing factors may include previous dental/orthodontic history, orofacial myofunctional patterns (e.g., tongue thrust), and limited earlier practice with precise articulatory cues.

Role of the WELL SAID Speech-Language Pathologist in the Assessment and Treatment of Lisps

We identify the exact error pattern, teach the correct acoustic and articulatory targets, and coach high-repetition, high-accuracy practice that generalizes to real life. You’ll receive clear home practice plans, progress tracking, and coaching for work and social contexts (presentations, meetings, interviews).

Assessment of Lisps in Adults

We begin by defining your exact sound pattern and where it breaks down: – Speech sound testing (e.g., standardized articulation measure). – Conversational speech sample across topics. – Reading sample to control linguistic load. – Stimulability testing: how quickly sounds improve with cueing. – Oral mechanism screen (as indicated). – Goal setting tied to everyday speaking demands.

Treatment of Lisps in Adults

Therapy builds precise productions and then locks them into daily speech: – Auditory discrimination: hear correct vs. incorrect productions. – Precise placement and airflow training for target sounds. – Gradual hierarchy: isolation → syllables → words → phrases → conversation. – Coarticulation and carryover in spontaneous speech (calls, meetings, presentations). – High-accuracy generalization: adults typically aim for ~90–95% accuracy in session and at home to drive reliable carryover. – Home practice: brief, frequent, structured drills; real-world assignments; feedback loops.

1-on-1 Personalized support

Therapy, Coaching, or Training

Therapist, Coach, Trainer? It doesn’t matter what you call us. We’re here to support you in improving your communication skills.At WELL SAID, we understand that the journey to effective communication is unique for everyone. Whether you refer to our services as therapy, coaching, or training, what truly counts is the personalized support we offer. Our aim is to help you improve in communication and other areas—adapting our approach to suit your specific needs and goals.

Commonly Treated Goals

We offer a comprehensive range of advanced features designed to streamline your processes and boost efficiency. From intuitive user interface to seamless integration, our software provides everything you need to optimize your workflow and achieve exceptional results.Traditional building blocks to improve voice: – Auditory Discrimination– Minimal Pairs– Placement– Drills– Generalization

Hear the Difference

Understand the way you currently pronounce the sound and how it differs from the standard production.

Learn the Target

Learn how to pronounce the target sound.

Practice the New Way

Achieve your goal through step-by-step and supported practice in a safe space.

Feel More Confident

With a more refined speech profile, you might discover yourself putting yourself out there more often and taking calculated professional risks.

Common Lisps

Discover our tailored voice therapy services designed to enhance your professional and personal communication skills.

Frontal Lisp

Understand the anatomy and physiology of your voice, your instrument and how it can be improved.

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Lateral Lisp

Learn how to take care of your voice, how to prevent voice difficulties and how to achieve your optimal voice.

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“R” Differences

Achieve your goal through step-by-step and supported practice in a safe space.

Read More OUR APPROACH

Our Distinctive Approach to Lisp Treatment

At Well Said: Toronto Speech Therapy we have the experience and dedication to help you correct your lisp, providing you with the tools to achieve a new style of speech to succeed in real life. Using a client-centred, evidence-based, and holistic approach, we will work closely with you, incorporating the latest research and adult learning principles in order to achieve your speech goals. Our services are covered by most workplace and education insurance plans. Try our “Is Lisp Work for Me?” self-reflection tool below the videos to discover how you might benefit.Using an evidence-based and adult-centric approach, we will work with you employing the latest research, and with your other health professionals to achieve your speech goals.

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Experienced Guidance

Our skilled therapists provide tailored programs to address your unique speech and communication needs, ensuring effective and meaningful progress.

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Holistic Techniques

We integrate a variety of techniques for a comprehensive approach, focusing not only on speech but also on building confidence and reducing anxiety.

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Empowered Clients

We believe in empowering our clients through knowledge and skills, fostering independence in their communication journey.

Is Lisp Therapy for me?

Are you unsure if lisp treatment is right for you? Try our new self-assessment tool by clicking on the box below. A redirect will open to a page with a series of questions. Complete the questions and get a PDF report organizing and visualizing your needs. This report is perfect for clarifying what you need and what your goals are.

Try Our lisp SELF-ASSESSMENT QUIZ

Recent Articles

Articles on Enhancing Your Skills: A Guide to Mastering Speech, Voice, and Social Communication for Achieving Success in Life and Work.

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Recent Articles

Articles on Enhancing Your Skills: A Guide to Mastering Speech, Voice, and Social Communication for Achieving Success in Life and Work.

  • WELL SAID: TORONTO SPEECH THERAPY. A young woman with curly hair, wearing a brown headband and black top, smiles brightly while looking to the side. She touches her neck with one hand and wears hoop earrings and a watch. The background is blurry and outdoor.

    What Is A Lisp?

    Clinic Team | WELL SAID July 6, 2023

    A lisp is a speech impediment that typically affects the production of the /s/ and /z/ sounds. People who have a lisp do not have clear production of the /s/ and /z/ sounds where the sounds are often described as ‘slushy’ sounding. The individuals who have a lisp will have difficulties with moving their tongue…

  • WELL SAID: TORONTO SPEECH THERAPY. A black and white photo of two microphones and a pop filter set up in a recording studio, with soft lighting creating a focused, professional atmosphere.

    What Makes “R” So Difficult, and How Can I Change It?

    Nimra Khan, B.A(H), M.Sc. (S-LP), Reg. CASLPO March 6, 2019

    There are many sounds in English, but people often have trouble with R. What makes this sound harder for some people to pronounce, even into adulthood?

  • WELL SAID: TORONTO SPEECH THERAPY. A woman with curly hair and large earrings smiles brightly while looking to the side. She wears a dark top, brown headband, and a watch, with her hand touching her neck. The background is softly blurred in warm tones.

    Ten Challenges Facing People who lisp

    Melissa James, B.A(H)., M.H.Sc. (S-LP), Reg. CASLPO April 2, 2018

    Whether you lisp or someone in your life has a lisp, it’s important to be aware of the challenges that can be associated.

  • WELL SAID: TORONTO SPEECH THERAPY. A person wearing dark pants and a sweater bends down to tie the laces of a black dress shoe while standing on a wooden surface scattered with small white petals.

    Lisp: Social Indexing and Identity

    Melissa James, B.A(H)., M.H.Sc. (S-LP), Reg. CASLPO April 2, 2018

    A sharper, more “sibilant” production of “s” has become associated with the speech of gay men. The lack of distinction between disorder vs. difference has lead many to associate any type of “s” variation in a male speaker with assumptions of that speaker’s sexuality. However, real lisps, as functional speech disorders, have no correlation with sexual…

  • WELL SAID: TORONTO SPEECH THERAPY. Two people in business attire sit at an outdoor café table with a laptop, smartphone, and glass of water, engaged in conversation. Sunlight casts shadows on the wooden benches and table.

    Life with a Lisp From the perspective of a client

    Melissa James, B.A(H)., M.H.Sc. (S-LP), Reg. CASLPO April 2, 2018

    Submitted by a WELL SAID client. Lisping does not necessarily make a person less understandable. Rather, it can be a distraction that leads the listener to focus less on the content of the message and more on the assumptions the listener makes about the speaker.

  • WELL SAID: TORONTO SPEECH THERAPY. A woman with curly hair smiles while talking on a smartphone and holding a white mug. She is wearing a white knitted sweater and appears to be enjoying a pleasant conversation indoors.

    Lisps: Speech Therapy For Adults

    Melissa James, B.A(H)., M.H.Sc. (S-LP), Reg. CASLPO October 4, 2017

    Have you noticed that many of the resources, blogs, and articles on the internet are for lisps and speech therapy with children, not adults? Not anymore.Why is working on an adult lisp different than a child’s lisp? How is working on an adult lisp and a child’s lisp the same? What is a lisp? What causes a…

  • An Educator With A Frontal Lisp

    Melissa James, B.A(H)., M.H.Sc. (S-LP), Reg. CASLPO November 11, 2015

    We helped Kevin to prioritize his goals: first, the frontal lisp and second, the rate of speech. Next, we systematically worked through changing his pronunciation of the S and Z sounds. This took 10 weeks from start to finish. During the 10 weeks, Kevin attended weekly appointments with our speech-language pathologist, Melissa James, and completed 10…

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