3.2 DS consonant substitution - any experience?

[sleepychunky]

DS was a relatively late talker- this time last year you only really got 2 words together out of him, but by Christmas he was chattering away nineteen to the dozen. His speech is now very advanced (apparently) but he does a strange consonant substitution which I haven't heard in any other child (and I've looked after several hundred over the years). It's with "l" - most children I know can pronounce "l" but not always "y", so "yellow" becomes "lellow". DS is the other way round and every word which starts with an "l" he pronounces with a "y". It makes it quite funny to hear as his CM is called Lynne and the other little girl is Lily so they become "yin" and "yiyee". When the "l" is in the middle of the word like "helicopter" he pronounces an "n" - "henicopter".
Just wondered if anyone else's DCs had this and when they grew out of it? DS is starting at nursery next week - is that something they will try to correct or not? I really have no idea.
Anyway, if anyone has any experience I'd be interested to hear how things panned out.
Thanks all

He doesnt have a tongue tie does he? Just that /n/ and /y/ require less 'lifting' at the end of the tongue.

Ds is 3y8m and has teh usual fink for think etc and has been at nursery for 8m, theyve never tried to correct him. Ime all you can do is pronounce it back to him in a conversational way over enunciating the sound.

Have a look here under 'Pronunciation'

My nephew did this until he was about 5 or 6. As far as I know it sorted itself out without any help and he can now say Ls no problem.

Both my kids have substituted 'L' for 'Y' ie 'yight' for 'light' and so on.

My DS has always had really good, clear speech but this didn't resolve until he was well over 3 yrs old! DD has had some speech therapy and SALT was not worried about it at all.

Can he elevate his tongue/lick his top lip? If so, I'm sure it will come in time - just practice and simply modelling the sound back correctly should help him.

Thanks everyone - he doesn't have a tongue tie and he can elevate his tongue. I was pretty sure it was something which would just sort itself out, so thanks very much. I shall enjoy his sweet pronunciation whilst it lasts (especially "I yove you mummy")

My ds is just 4 and still does this, exactly the same way yours does. He has been at pre-school for a year and no one has mentioned it, I just assumed it was normal for his age.

My DS is 3.7 and does exactly the same thing. He also substitutes r with y! Other than that his speech is absolutely normal.

children get pronunciation of letters over a far wider age span than you think

up to the age of 10 they are still developing letter sounds

it is a very normal developmental stage