TundraAcademy Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 I've always noticed a slight lisp in my son, but always thought it endearing and I guess thought he would grow out of it. Until recently nobody has said anything to me, but now a couple of people have commented on it to me. I'm not sure what to do. I was going to call the local school district to find out about speech therapy, but I'm not sure if they accept homeschoolers. Has anyone else dealt with this? I would appreciate some advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ChristusG Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 Your local school should accept homeschoolers....ours does. DD is 5 and takes speech therapy at the local elementary school. It was a long process to get in though. You have to have him evaluated, get an IEP meeting, etc. He might not would begin until next year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sputterduck Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 M cousin had one that was corrected about that age. Have him stick his tongue out. Is there a divot in the tip? If so, he's tongue tied, just like my cousin. My cousin got his snipped and the speech thing went away. My baby was tongue tied, but it was corrected as a baby and it's a little different then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacqui in mo Posted October 18, 2009 Share Posted October 18, 2009 I would recommend, if your private insurance covers speech therapy, to look into private therapy, especially for a 10 year old with a lisp. (I am a speech therapist). Don't feel guilty, because a lot of people seem to not notice lisps in their children, or ignore them thinking they will outgrow it. (drives me nuts) Unfortunately, they often don't outgrow it and at 10 yo it means a late start at fixing a very ingrained habit. In the public schools, your ds would probably be in a group therapy setting, not necessarily all with the same speech issue,. I think it would be more productive to have one on one therapy, at least getting started. Either way, it will still require a lot of carry over work from you at home to help correct this. Hope you find a really good therapist. Also, does your ds have dental issues that might be contributing to having a lisp? An open bite (upper & lower teeth not coming together properly) may contribute to a lisp. Things like that may need orthodontic intervention before or in conjunction with speech therapy. Jacqui Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TundraAcademy Posted October 18, 2009 Author Share Posted October 18, 2009 Thanks for the input. I'm going to check with our dentist. I guess I assumed if there was a real problem my friends who were public school teachers would have commented (but of course I realize my shy son probably never really spoke when they were around!). The catalyst to all this was when my son told me today that some of the boys on his All-star baseball team this summer made fun of him! I had no idea and that was several months ago. Does make me wonder how I could have missed this when other 10 year-olds notice! Ugh. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 Sorry to hijack the thread but I've been wondering about this too! My 8yo son graduated from speech through the public schools when he was 5yo - went for 1 year. He still lisps for his medial and final s. He has sort of an interdental lisp, except he has his two front teeth in. He sticks his tongue out under his two front teeth. I have practice sheets and I make him repeat words throughout the day with his front teeth closed. What else could a reevaluation and speech therapist offer? It seems like a huge hassle to go through all the evaluation and paperwork again to be given a few practice sheets that I already have reams of. Just can't decide what to do! I really want this lisp pronto though. It is an ingrained habit - and embarrasses him when I make him repeat himself all day. He sounds awkward do when I make him close his front teeth to say the medial or final s, it doesn't sound natural at all.... Any advice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gingersmom Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 I would recommend, if your private insurance covers speech therapy, to look into private therapy, especially for a 10 year old with a lisp. (I am a speech therapist). Don't feel guilty, because a lot of people seem to not notice lisps in their children, or ignore them thinking they will outgrow it. (drives me nuts) Unfortunately, they often don't outgrow it and at 10 yo it means a late start at fixing a very ingrained habit. In the public schools, your ds would probably be in a group therapy setting, not necessarily all with the same speech issue,. I think it would be more productive to have one on one therapy, at least getting started. Either way, it will still require a lot of carry over work from you at home to help correct this. Hope you find a really good therapist. Also, does your ds have dental issues that might be contributing to having a lisp? An open bite (upper & lower teeth not coming together properly) may contribute to a lisp. Things like that may need orthodontic intervention before or in conjunction with speech therapy. Jacqui :iagree: Private speech therapy is the only way to go. Especially being your son is older and has probably had this speech issue for a very long time. Their is a world of difference between private speech therapy and going through the public school (I have extensive experience with both). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacqui in mo Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 (edited) LNC, It sounds like he needs to work on the sound at more of a conversational level. Just correcting him throughout the day is a type of nagging that won't necessarily train him to monitor himself, which is what he needs to do. I would recommend that you have him use memory work recitation as a means to work on this. Pick poems or other things to memorize that have several of the /s/ sounds in it. In the course of him reciting it to you stipulate that he has to say each /s/ sound correctly. To make it fun, start out with giving a small reward for each correct sound made. I used the Poem "Animal Crackers" by Christopher Morely with my son, and I gave him an animal cracker each time he used the correct /s/ sound. You could also use other things like chocolate chips, pieces from a favorite kids cereal, raisins, etc. Working on the /s/ through scripted stuff like this helps a lot. It is a good transition between knowing just how to make the sound when reminded, to actually planning to make the sound correctly in the first place on your own initiative. Later you can video him with his recitations and have the reward at the end of the poem. After he is very good about using the sound in several poems, you can maybe designate a certain time of day for good /s/ sounds, starting with 5 minutes of conversation where he is to monitor himself and then stretch it to longer periods. Making phone calls to people he likes to talk to is good too with the goal of monitoring himself. (this is after he's gotten good at monitoring himself in the recitation work.) Anyway that's all I have time to describe. Send me a pm if you need more suggestions later. Jacqui Edited October 19, 2009 by jacqui in mo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TundraAcademy Posted October 19, 2009 Author Share Posted October 19, 2009 Oooh..I really appreciate this input! I think our insurance does cover speech therapy so I'm going to call tomorrow and get an evaluation. I feel so blind-sided. Its hard to believe you can miss something when it is right in front of you everyday! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tdeveson Posted October 19, 2009 Share Posted October 19, 2009 My nephew had it. Among other things, he said "funder" instead of "thunder." His teacher referred him to the school speech therapist and it worked great. I'm not sure how long he did the speech therapy, but he has perfect diction now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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