Sigmatism, commonly called "zeppola", does not cause any physical problems, but it could generate some embarrassment in the people who suffer from it, who often also become the object of ridicule. Fortunately, there are several exercises you can do to help you or your child pronounce the letter S correctly. Speech therapists are experts in this area and can help you eliminate this defect with a weekly therapy session.
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Getting rid of Dental and Dental Sigmatism
Step 1. Use the following exercise if you pronounce the sound "TH" in place of the "S" or "Z" sound
People who have this defect insert their tongue between the upper and lower incisors making a sound similar to the English "TH" when, instead, they want to pronounce the letter "S" or "Z". If there is a free space between the front teeth, they may instinctively be inclined to insert their tongue. If you're not sure if this sigmatism matches yours, look in the mirror as you say "S" or "Z".
With interdental sigmatism the "S" sound is very similar to the "TH" sound, for example in the English word "math", while the "Z" sound is more similar to the "TH" sound in the word "father"
Step 2. Smile in front of the mirror
Find one that is in a well-lit area so you can more easily observe your mouth as you speak. Smile showing all your teeth. This expression allows you to control the movements of your mouth and at the same time helps you to move your tongue back to the right position to make the "S" sound.
Step 3. Close the jaw
The teeth of the two arches must be in contact with each other, but continue to smile with the lips separated. Don't clench your teeth too much.
Step 4. Put your tongue in the correct position to pronounce the "S"
Move it so that the tip rests behind the teeth, against the roof of the mouth. Don't push it towards your teeth, but try to keep it relaxed without pressing it too hard.
Step 5. Push the air out of your mouth
If you don't hear the "S" hissing sound, your tongue is too far forward. Try to pull it back a little more and smile. If you are not capable of it, do not be disheartened. Try the following exercise and keep practicing.
Step 6. Say the sound "IIT" and pay attention to the shape of the tongue
If despite the exercise explained above you still find it difficult to pronounce the "S", try the following. Open the jaw slightly, separating the teeth from each other, and press the sides of the tongue against the upper molars (the back teeth). Smile and try to say "IIT" by keeping the back of the tongue in the same position as you lift the tip when you utter the "T" sound. If your back moves down as you do this exercise, keep practicing until you can hold it in the correct position.
- The sound is "IIT" with a prolonged double "I", as in the English words "feet" or "meet".
- If you have trouble holding the back of your tongue up, you can use a tongue depressor or a popsicle stick to block it and say the sound "IIT".
Step 7. Try changing "IIT" to "IITS" and then switch to "IIS"
Once you are able to say "IIT" with the tongue in the right position, keep saying it by prolonging the "T" phoneme. Keep the tip of your tongue raised as you repeat "T-T-T-T-T-T". Once past the tip of your tongue, the airflow will turn into an S-like sound. Keep practicing until you can say "IIITS" and then "IIS", although it won't happen right away.
You will likely make small splashes of saliva during exercise
Step 8. Practice Frequently
Do this at least once a day, although it would be better to do it more often. When you are able to repeat the "S" phoneme several times in a row, try inserting it into sentences and words. At first, you might even utter nonsense words, such as "pasielo" or "asalasa", and then read something aloud.
Step 9. Get advice from a speech therapist
If you still have problems after a few weeks of training, see a doctor who specializes in treating speech abnormalities who works in your area. He will be able to program customized exercises for your pronunciation problem, specifically designed to help you articulate the phonemes you are trying to perfect.
Part 2 of 4: Getting rid of Lateral Sigmatism
Step 1. Use this method if your sigmatism problems cause you to emit a "fluffy" S
Anyone suffering from lateral sigmatism, whenever he has to articulate the S puts his tongue in the position it would normally assume to pronounce the L. In other words, the tip of the tongue insists against the palate at the point where the mouth begins to widen. When the patient tries to say the S, the air passes to the sides of the tongue making a "mushy" or "frothy" sound.
Often terms containing the sound 〈sc〉 (as in "loose") and / ʒ / (as in the English words "mass ge "or" conclu Yes on ") are quite difficult to pronounce correctly.
Step 2. Put your tongue in the butterfly position
Say "nii" or "bin" and prolong the vowel for a few seconds before ending the word. During the utterance, you will feel that the edges of the tongue move towards the top of the mouth while the central part remains low. The tip also stays down without touching anything.
The shape that the tongue takes in this position is similar to that of a butterfly. Imagine that the center is the body of the insect, while the sides are the raised wings
Step 3. Practice quickly putting your tongue into the butterfly position
Think of it as a workout for the lingual muscles. Relax them, then quickly bring your tongue into this position. By doing so, you will strengthen the lateral areas and accustom the muscles to block the excess air which, passing to the sides, favors the pronunciation of the "S moscia". Practice for as long as you need until you can easily put her in this position.
Step 4. Let the air out
Hold the butterfly position and expel the air through the groove created by the tongue. This will produce a phoneme similar to S or Z if you emit it as you exhale.
Step 5. Continue to train trying to pronounce the S. normally
Do this every day and expel the air in order to articulate the S with this method. Then relax your tongue again and lift the tip just behind your teeth. Try saying "S". As your tongue gets stronger and you get used to putting it in the butterfly position, the S will become less "loose".
Step 6. See a speech therapist (if needed)
If you still have sigmatism problems after a few weeks of exercise, consult a speech therapist. He will give you specific instructions to correct your speech impediment and help you use your mouth correctly.
Part 3 of 4: Treating Sigmatism in Young Children
Step 1. Learn about sigmatism problems in children
In most cases it is frontal sigmatism, which causes the tongue to go too far in an attempt to emit the "S" phoneme. Many children have this speech impediment, but most lose it as they grow up. If it persists, doctors and speech therapists are quite divided on whether to start pronunciation correction therapy around the age of four and a half or seven. Consult your pediatrician or speech therapist for an opinion on this, but know that there is nothing to worry about if a child before the age of four and a half has a wedge.
If it's another kind of sigmatism, with the tongue sitting too far back in the mouth, see a speech therapist
Step 2. Don't criticize the speech impediment
By continually bringing attention to this phenomenon, you will only cause embarrassment and shame and will not help the child get rid of it.
Step 3. Treat all allergy and sinus problems
If your child often has a stuffy nose, sneezes, or has other nasal problems, he may have trouble speaking well. It mostly happens to children who articulate most sounds with their tongue forward, not just the "S". Consult your pediatrician for advice and safely treat any allergies and respiratory tract infections.
Step 4. Encourage him to lose the thumb-sucking habit
Although it is completely harmless in children under 4-5 years, it is still a gesture that favors sigmatism because it causes the teeth to grow in the wrong position. If your child sucks his thumb even though he is over four years of age, help him stop by replacing this habit with something that forces him to use both hands. Reprimanding him and continually taking your finger out of his mouth will not achieve the same results that you can achieve using positive rewards and reinforcement. The child will spontaneously stop.
Step 5. Consider using some pronunciation exercises
Most of the time they are recommended to children under the age of five because they help improve diction, but in some circumstances they have proved ineffective. However, it is possible that the sigmatism from which the child suffers will regress if the muscles of the mouth are strengthened. All in all, these are simple and harmless exercises: give him a straw to drink and encourage him to use games that make him blow, such as trumpets and soap bubbles.
Step 6. Talk to your doctor about ankyloglossia
It is a deformation of the oral cavity. The affected person has a small conjunction, or frenulum, which connects the tongue to the base of the mouth, often near the tip. If the child has difficulty licking his lips or stretching his tongue, he may suffer from this deformation. It is not always essential to resort to surgery, but it is sometimes recommended. The surgery foreseen in these cases is called "lingual frenulotomy", it lasts a few minutes and usually does not cause serious side effects, if not a slight pain in the mouth.
Step 7. Continue with the tongue exercises after the frenulotomy
If the doctor has recommended the surgery and the parent has given his consent, it is advisable for the child to start practicing exercises that strengthen the muscles of the tongue, help prevent speech defects and the risk that the frenulum is reforms (which in some cases can happen). If the baby is still breastfeeding, the pediatrician may advise the mother to gently stretch the baby's tongue out after washing her hands thoroughly. If she is older, follow the advice of the surgeon and speech therapist.
Part 4 of 4: What to Expect from Speech Therapy and Medical History
Step 1. Follow the therapy regularly until the sigmatism is gone
Speech defects cannot be cured instantly. The speech therapist works with the parent or child so that the latter is able to correct the articulation of words by adopting certain methods and habits. The more times he can see it, the sooner he gets rid of his flaw.
- Sessions usually last from 20 to 60 minutes.
- Some centers offer patients the option of group therapy in order to relieve performance anxiety.
Step 2. Prepare to provide information on past medical conditions and speech impediments affecting you or your child
To find a solution, you need to get to pinpoint the cause of sigmatism. Although some people are born with a wedge, certain pronunciation problems originate in medical history and sometimes date back to birth. Bring a copy of all your medical reports with you. A good professional does not neglect any aspect.
Parents are a valuable aid in the fight against sigmatism. Expect the speech therapist to ask you to cooperate
Step 3. Undergo an investigation and evaluation session, which usually consists of a short conversation or a word test
To determine the next step, the speech therapist will want to hear you speak. He will ask you a few simple questions or tell you to repeat words. He may also have an oral-motor function test, which is a series of exercises to see how you move your mouth regardless of pronunciation.
- If the patient is your child, the speech therapist is likely to want to observe him playing with other children or in your company. It is important that you see him speak spontaneously, without any external pressure.
- Try recording your voice to learn how to correct pronunciation and practice.
Step 4. Prepare for practical exercises
Once the defect has been diagnosed, it must be corrected. Imitation is usually used to learn the exact articulation of phonemes. The speech therapist pronounces a word and the patient must undertake to copy the physical movements: the mouth, the tongue and the way of breathing. He is likely to give you a mirror, so that you can observe the movements of your mouth.
Step 5. Do the exercises at home as well
Many can and should be practiced at home. You will be given a series of handouts that will allow you to improve your defect.
Step 6. Please note that you will have to work hard for several weeks
Don't think about solving your problem immediately. You will continue to develop new strategies for as long as necessary. Don't be discouraged if the speech therapist tells you that it will probably take weeks or even months. Once you have acquired the pronunciation skills you will need to get rid of your sigmatism, you will not lose them.
- Each of us is different: for some, a month of weekly meetings is enough, for others it takes a year, if not more.
- If you are not satisfied with your progress, ask for other exercises or methods for practicing at home.
Advice
- Be patient. It may take several weeks for your defect to be corrected while you speak normally.
- If you do not find yours among the various types of sigmatism described in this article, consult a speech therapist. There are several types of speech defects. The ones shown here are only the most common.
