My Toddler Has a Lisp
The short answer
Lisps are very common in toddlers and preschoolers who are still learning to make certain sounds. Most children don't master the "s" sound until around age 4-5, so a lisp before then is usually developmentally normal. If your child still has a noticeable lisp after age 5, or if it's affecting their confidence, a speech evaluation can help.
By Age
What to expect by age
Toddlers are just beginning to say words and simple sentences, and most sounds are still developing. It's completely normal for "s" sounds to come out as "th" (a frontal lisp) or to sound slushy at this age. Your child is learning to position their tongue correctly, and that takes time. Don't worry about correcting it now - just model correct speech and let development unfold.
Many preschoolers still have a lisp, especially on "s" and "z" sounds. The tongue is still learning precise placement, and some children push it forward between their teeth (frontal lisp) or let air escape over the sides (lateral lisp). If your child is speaking clearly otherwise and the lisp is their only speech issue, it's usually fine to wait. However, if they're hard to understand overall, a speech evaluation might be helpful.
By age 5, most children can make the "s" sound correctly, though a mild lisp can still linger. If your child has a persistent lisp after age 4.5-5, especially if it's noticeable to strangers or affecting their self-esteem, speech therapy can help. Therapy for a lisp is usually short-term and very effective. Speech-language pathologists use fun exercises to teach correct tongue placement.
If your child is in kindergarten and still has a lisp, it's worth getting a speech evaluation. Lisps don't usually resolve on their own after age 5, but they respond very well to therapy. Left untreated, a lisp can sometimes persist into adulthood. The good news is that most kids correct a lisp in just a few months of therapy, and earlier treatment tends to work faster.
What Should You Do?
When to take action
- Your child is under 4 years old and has a lisp on "s" and "z" sounds but is otherwise speaking clearly.
- Your child sometimes says "s" correctly and sometimes not - inconsistency is normal during the learning phase.
- Your child's lisp is mild and doesn't interfere with being understood by family or teachers.
- Your child just started talking recently and many sounds are still developing, including "s."
- Your child is over 4.5 years old and has a persistent, noticeable lisp on "s," "z," or "sh" sounds.
- Your child's lisp is lateral (air escaping over the sides of the tongue, creating a slushy sound) - this type is less likely to resolve on its own.
- Your child is frustrated by their speech or is being teased by peers about how they talk.
- Your child has a lisp along with other speech sound errors or is hard to understand overall.
- Your child is over 5 years old with a noticeable lisp that isn't improving.
- Your child's lisp is severe and strangers have trouble understanding them.
- Your child is avoiding talking or showing signs of low confidence because of their speech.
Sources
Related Resources
Related Speech Concerns
My Baby Is Losing Words or Skills
If your child was consistently using words and has truly stopped, this is something to act on promptly. Regression - the genuine loss of skills a child previously had - is different from a normal plateau or a toddler being too busy to talk, and it always warrants a conversation with your pediatrician sooner rather than later.
Baby Not Babbling
Babbling with consonant sounds like "ba," "da," and "ma" typically begins between 6 and 9 months and is an important building block for speech. Babies develop at different rates, but if your baby is not making any consonant sounds by 9 months, a hearing check is a good first step.
Baby Not Laughing at Peek-a-Boo
Most babies start showing delight during peek-a-boo between 6 and 9 months, when they develop "object permanence" - the understanding that things still exist when hidden. If your baby isn't laughing at peek-a-boo yet, consider their age and overall social engagement. Some babies prefer other games, and some show enjoyment through smiles or excited movements rather than laughter. What matters most is whether your baby is socially engaged with you overall.
Baby Not Making Vowel Sounds
Most babies begin making vowel sounds - those lovely "oooh," "aaah," and "eee" sounds - around 2 to 3 months of age. This early cooing is one of the first steps in language development. Some babies are naturally quieter than others, but if your baby isn't making any vowel sounds by 4 months, it's worth checking in with your pediatrician to make sure hearing and development are on track.
Baby Not Responding to Own Name Consistently
Most babies start recognizing and responding to their own name between 5 and 7 months, though consistent response may take until 9 months. It's common for babies to sometimes ignore their name when they're focused on something interesting - this is normal. However, if your baby rarely or never turns when you say their name by 9 months, it's worth discussing with your pediatrician to check hearing and development.
Baby Not Turning to Sounds
Babies typically begin turning toward sounds around 4 to 6 months of age. If your baby isn't consistently looking toward voices or noises by 6 months, it's worth having their hearing checked. In many cases, something as simple as fluid in the ears can temporarily affect hearing, and early identification leads to the best outcomes.