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Maureen Niklaus, MS Ccc-Slp Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist

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Maureen Niklaus, MS Ccc-Slp Pediatric Speech-Language Pathologist

A Private Practice for Children with Speech and Language Impairments Maureen Niklaus, M.S.

CCC-SLP is a Speech-Language Pathologist in private practice in Williamsport, PA. Maureen specializes in pediatrics and is dedicated to providing thorough diagnostic evaluations and personalized therapy for children in the Williamsport area. In addition to private practice, previous work experience at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh and at UPMC Susquehanna Health. Areas of specialty include: preschool language disorders, Autism spectrum disorder, articulation and phonological disorders, childhood apraxia of speech, and stuttering. Licensed by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and Certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.

01/10/2026

Technology.
Communication.
And Young Children.

Children learn from doing, from play, from feelings, and from experience. A lack of it most likely explains why my field has been seeing more and more children with communication impairments in recent years.

"No, there is no App for that," I had to answer once again this week to a well intentioned inquiring parent mind, whose young child is not yet saying much.

Please, parents, just put the phones, tablets, gaming systems....down.

Just put them down.

And if you've introduced your young child to such devices? Well, put it up on a shelf for a while. DO it.

Nothing (including seeing me once or twice a week) will substitute for YOU talking with your child, talking about EVERYTHING you do together. Talking and engaging while you get breakfast around, grocery shop, get them dressed, give them a bath, rake leaves, clean the bathroom, walk the dog, drive through town, or play together.

Just live and narrate the world around your beautiful children! It is truly the only thing that leads to the MAGIC. The magic of language and communication with others.

There simply is no App for that.

12/23/2025

Merry Christmas, Dad!

When I was a child, or even a young adult home from college or graduate school, my Dad would often leave little poems on the kitchen counter, early in the morning, before he left for work. Usually, they were a funny take on “Roses are red, violets are blue…”

But as Christmas approached, they were usually a hilarious take on “The Night Before Christmas, and All Through The House…” with some potty humor thrown in for good measure.

As I got older, his poems “evolved” into somewhat complicated, and certainly controversial, remakes of Christmas carols (think spicy versions of “Chestnuts roasting on an open fire…”). They were usually written with such creative flair that they most certainly couldn’t be appreciated (meaning repeated) outside of the immediate family.

My Dad? Well, he turned into quite a kid at Christmas.

The lights had to be perfect. The presents wrapped with way too much tape. And his insistence on waking us up crazy early on Christmas morning by running around the house ringing a bell? Well, that was not at all appreciated by my sister and me by the time we were teenagers.

So when my future daughter-in-law recently shared how my son so very much loves Christmas, and how excited he becomes to decorate and celebrate, my heart skipped a beat.

“He just LOVES Christmas!” she said smiling. “He turns into a little kid!”

In that split moment, I felt him. I felt my Dad smiling down on us as she said it. Smiling down with oodles of Christmas Spirit, left for us to share with each other as we celebrate this first one without him seated around the table and the sparkling tree.

Thank you, Dad, for being you. Thank you for passing on your glorious Christmas Spirit.

As we miss you this Christmas, know that your heart and spirit live on in me, and now in your grandchildren.

With a special Christmas nod, wink (and inappropriate song lyric), Merry Christmas from my family to yours!

Enjoy and cherish each and every moment.

All my love,
Mo

12/10/2025

Keeping it REAL!

I often work on communication with kiddos who act out inappropriately when frustrated, instead of communicating their needs in the moment. And ideally, I use real life frustrations to start with.

Good news here? Not only did she stop yelling and hitting after a couple of such activities with her coat, but she "blew" her frustration away, told me she was "frustrated" and needed "help," and somehow along the way learned how to put her coat on correctly?

Lol! Guess I'll have to find another "real life" situation for her as we work on expanding this goal!

12/08/2025

When I am working on formulating questions, what is the easiest and fastest way to elicit questions from my little people?

Show them pictures of my crazy little tiny dog... and hint at all the silly things he does! (After asking his name, the second query is usually why his ears are so big lol!)

Thank you, Remy, for being you. All whopping 4 pounds of you are loved beyond measure!! 🥰

11/25/2025

Families! Please be aware!

If you come to me via the Basin Street exit and Fourth Street, please be careful as that section of Fourth up to my office on Mulberry Street is now TWO WAY traffic and no longer one way!

11/23/2025

Families and Friends!

My office will be closed next week as I thoroughly embrace some special time with my children and family. Wishing everyone the same and a very Happy Thanksgiving!

11/19/2025

Too darn cute not to share!

She is language impaired, on the Autism spectrum, and has been working SO hard to try to answer "Wh" questions. When I told her my dog was going to get a bath at the groomer's on Friday, I then asked her, "Where is my dog going on Friday?"

Looking perplexed, she clearly had no idea what a groomer was, but answered, "The Bathroom-er?"

What a fabulous use of meaning when she clearly didn't know the word! (And more importantly, she clearly understood the "where" question!) I absolutely LOVE IT!!!!

11/11/2025

I'll let you in on a big little "secret."

Two- and three-year olds HATE being told what to do. (And I do mean absolutely, to their core, HATE it!) If you need proof, just stop by my office anytime! 😊

SO... my suggestion?

Stop TELLING your child to say words when they are trying to let you know they want something! Instead think, "say it myself."

If you can break the habit of "telling" your child what to do, and simply SAY the word yourself a few times BEFORE you give them the beloved object... "Oh, cookie! Cookie! You want a cookie. Here's a cookie!" Honestly, you might just be amazed!

Instead of causing tension and frustration, you have given "control" to your toddler and they are now much more likely to try to say the word after you! By modeling the wonderful MAGIC of language for them, you are much more likely to watch it grow and unfold in front of your eyes!

10/30/2025

Autism...
Stuttering...
Articulation Impairments...
Down Syndrome...
Language Disorders...
Childhood Apraxia of Speech...
Developmental Delays...
and....
my plea this time of year!

Friends, PLEASE be understanding if you can't fully understand a little one at your front door this Halloween. Trick or Treating might be a much bigger feat than you realize for that child, AND for their family.

So please be patient with children who don't say "Trick or Treat" clearly, or not at all, as they may be unable to do so. Might I suggest that instead of putting them on the spot, we simply help such children by smiling and saying it for them?

Thank you everyone and Happy Halloween!

10/28/2025

The Language "Explosion!"

Yes, at this tender age, the AVERAGE 18-month old is using 50 different words (on their own) and is adding new words to their expressive vocabulary each week. Do some children this age use fewer? Of course.

But some little ones are using even more!

In typical language development, 18-months marks the beginning of the "language explosion" so that by the time they turn 2-years of age, children are putting 2- and occasionally 3-words together!

Questions or concerns about your little one? PLEASE do not panic! I am more than happy to answer your questions and give some suggestions. Feel free to reach out any time!

10/15/2025

Here’s to many more years and children!

Although I’ve been practicing for more than 30 years (can I really be THAT old?), I made my dream a reality six years ago today when I opened my very own office space.

Thank you to all the families that have crossed my threshold and graced me with their children. You are all just the best to work with and it is you, who have kept me here, doing the things I love!

10/08/2025

Because it is how little human beings learn language!

Joint attention is the ability to share a common focus on something with another person. It is how things in this big, crazy world become "salient" to young children as we adults talk about them... helping children "pair" objects and concepts with the "words" they hear from us.

Examples? Baby looking at the plane in the sky as you point to it and say, "Look! Plane!"

A young child looking and paying attention to where you show them to fit that puzzle piece.

Or a child turning to look at the dog after you turned towards it and said, "No barking!"

Joint attention, coupled with the words we are saying like "plane," "in" or "barking," are what open the door to the amazing world of language.

Joint attention with your child matters. Questions or concerns? Reach out anytime!

Address

59 East 4th Street
Williamsport, PA
17701

Telephone

+15703603413

Website

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