A lisp is a speech impairment in which a person misarticulates sibilants ([s], [z], [ts], [dz], [ʃ], [ʒ], [t͡ʃ], [d͡ʒ]) [dʒ].
[citation needed] Lisps caused by tongue tie can be treated by a dentist or otolaryngologist (ENT) with a lingual frenectomy, or laser incision, which takes less than 10 to 15 minutes to complete.
According to this protocol, the SLP slowly increases the complexity of tasks (context of pronunciations) as the production of the sound improves.
Consistency is critical, because factors such as the position within the word, grouping with other sounds (vowels or consonants), and the complexity all may affect production.
Another popular method for treating a lisp is using specially designed devices that go in the mouth to provide a tactile cue of exactly where the tongue should be positioned when saying the "S" sound.
Thus, successful correction of the disorder is found in manipulating or changing the other factors involved with speech production (tongue positioning, cerebral processing, etc.).
Once a successful result (speech) is achieved, then consistent practice becomes essential to reinforcing correct productions.
When a student can speak a whole sentence without lisping, attention is then focused on making correct sounds throughout natural conversation.