Lisp is a defect in speech that can occur at any age. There is another name for the disorder - dyslalia. A similar problem directly affects a person’s life, as it causes noticeable discomfort, especially in adult and teenage life. It also happens that this causes complexes and self-doubt, because of which a person often becomes silent and closed. In this article, you will read about the meaning of the word lisp. You will also learn the causes and treatments for this disorder.
Lisp is what?
The concept includes a number of varieties that can be found by an experienced specialist.
- Oral-dental - this is the most common type, it involves a violation in the functioning of the upper and lower lips. Because of this problem, the letter "w" is pronounced as "f".
- Periosteum - the tip of the tongue in the pronunciation is in the wrong position, as a result of which the hissing ones become voiced at the exit.
- Lateral - during conversation, the tongue will mix into the lateral part from the center, it can be folded completely. Lisp of this type is based on the pronunciation of hissing "claps."
- Buccal - in this case, the problem is the mucous membrane of the cheeks, which acts as an obstacle to the formation of a correctly and intelligible sound.
- Nasal - occurs due to some kind of trauma, pathology or disease. The soft palate slightly sags and makes the pronounced sounds nasal, nasal.
- Softened is also a fairly common form, which is easiest to get rid of. It represents the replacement of all hissing with the letter "u".
The doctor will be able to tell what lisping means, and also determine the type of disease for a person in a particular case and help with treatment.
Causes
A similar disorder can appear against the background of many factors.
- Improperly formed speech apparatus, which does not allow you to pronounce letters in an optimal way.
- The consequences of serious injuries, dental interventions. The tip of the tongue may initially be in the wrong position.
- The disease can form against the background of heredity or serious muscle weakness in the oral cavity, which is why it is simply impossible to construct sounds.
- Nerves are also a serious reason for the appearance of a violation of this kind.
Symptoms
The main symptomatology is the pronunciation. Lisp - what’s this at all? Mostly with such a violation, the quality of the pronounced hissing and some whistling sounds deteriorates.
If a child of 2 years of age has lisp, then this does not mean anything. Children of this group have not yet fully formed the speech apparatus, they also cannot breathe correctly when pronouncing, so you just need to deal with the child as often as possible, learn tongue twisters together. For several months of training, the result will already be noticeable. If the violations become noticeable later, it is better to consult a doctor for additional help.
Diagnostics
Lisp is a disorder that requires an integrated approach. It is necessary to consult not only with one specific doctor, but also with other specialists. After all, the problem can have different reasons.
The defectologist will be able to analyze how the patient makes sounds, evaluate how the speech apparatus and its components work, and observe the location of the tip of the tongue.
An otolaryngologist will find out if a person has problems with a hearing aid, because lisping also develops against the background of deafness or weak hearing. Also assess the condition of the nasal passages and sinuses.
Psychologists help the patient to feel their condition. They check whether the patient has experienced stress or fear - sometimes lisping is the result of strong feelings.
The dentist scans the oral cavity and looks for possible defects. For example, one tooth may be missing, maybe the problem is in the wrong bite. Then he already restores damaged teeth or draws up a course of treatment to eliminate the problem of lisping.
Treatment
Lisp treatment is a pronunciation correction. First of all, it includes diverse exercises in the form of tongue twisters, which are best chosen by a speech therapist. All options must be pronounced every day for treatment to be effective. Speech therapist can also help in the establishment of the speech apparatus.
The second option to correct lisping is the intervention of an otolaryngologist, who usually works on the restoration of hearing, as well as on the patency of the nasal canals. This procedure is performed using drugs and special tools. Doing it yourself is forbidden.
A neurologist can help with tight muscles in the mouth by prescribing special medications. The dentist corrects the bite and replaces the lost teeth with dentures.
Some exercises with a slight lisp can solve the problem. You can do them yourself.
- You can practice the language first. The essence of the exercise is that you need to stick it out of your mouth, putting it on your lower lip. Then repeat the syllable "la". Do not strain the lower lip. If the exercise is easy, you can alternately touch the tongue to each corner of the mouth.
- Stretching his neck, a person should speak the sounds "sh" and "u". Repeat the exercise 10 times for each sound.
- The tongue must be placed on the lower row of teeth, relaxing it. After that, the lower jaw extends beyond the upper. The latter should slightly press on the tongue, making a "massage".
Speech tongue twisters
Tongue twisters are a very effective exercise for solving problems of lisping. Their value lies in the training of the speech apparatus. They will help every representative of any age group with due diligence.
The most effective phrases in which there are relatively many hissing and whistling sounds, so give preference to them. Here are some interesting tongue twisters:
We have little chicks in our little stove.
An eccentric under a sofa hides a suitcase.
Cuckoo cuckoo bought a hood.
It is best to devote about an hour a day to exercise. Moreover, complete silence is needed so that a person can concentrate. Before you start training, it is better to talk with a speech therapist so that he shows how to act correctly.