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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.

03/30/2026

She Is ON it!

She is 7 years old and arrived last Monday already having diagnosed herself.

"Well Mo, you see I have a lisp. It's not a real big one, but I do lisp on "s."

"Oh," I said, abandoning my formal articulation test after realizing she was completely correct. "Did you know you also lisp on "sh" and "ch" a little bit too?" I asked.

"Oh, really? No, Mo, I didn't realize that!" she said.

And of course she showed up today, a week later, having practiced her little heart out and no longer lisping on "s." She moved through all my levels of therapy and by the end of today's session, she was 97% accurate on "s" in ALL word positions while we played picnic loaded with "s" words. Just wow.

I don't think this smart little lady will need very much of me. But boy will I enjoy every single minute with her! 😍

03/19/2026

The Conversational World That MATTERS.

When I work on any speech or language goal, I don't consider it "accomplished" until I am eliciting it about 85% of the time in a child's spontaneously generated language, at an age-appropriate conversational level. But young children don't really engage in conversation, do they? (Answer? Yes they do.)

This sweetheart has the subject pronouns "I," "you," "he" and "she" in my structured activities (think describing what piece she or I have in a game, or naming he/she actions in pictures or with toys.)

But today? She loved talking to all our friends, and ROCKED it when she had to talk about who at our picnic she was serving each colored dish or food to! (And trust me, pronouns are NOT easy.)

She took her time and self-corrected if she said/handed something to the "wrong" person, making sure she fixed it and got her intentions across. It was fabulous!

So, yes, conversation happens in my office with young children! Such imaginative play is their conversational world and THAT is where I measure ultimate success.

03/16/2026

15 Months & Words?
YES!

I am always shocked when I hear parents (and pediatricians) not concerned when little ones this age aren't beginning to TRY to talk.

Yes, at this tender age, they should be attempting words!

By 15 months, you should be hearing a good amount of word "imitation," or your child saying words after you. Not just when you "ask" them to imitate you, but without your prompting, meaning simply because they want to!

For example, you say "Look at that heavy snow!" and they spontaneously say after you, "snow!"

Little people this age should be regularly using at least 1 or 2 words spontaneously, all on their own, in addition to the words "Mommy" and "Daddy."

Concerned? Need some suggestions to move your little one along? Feel free to message me anytime!

03/13/2026

Want To Hear More Words?
Tip!

He didn't want to verbally request body parts while building Potato Head this morning, but talking to "Tigger?" Well he had a blast telling HIM what to do!

Telling Tigger to eat his "hand" and eat his "shoe" elicited not only excitement and giggles when Tigger devoured him, but he kept trying to say other body parts!

So if you are trying to increase the words your toddler uses, try having him/her talk to toys! It is often a huge hit in my office! (I mean who knew that toddlers like to be in charge?? 🤣)

03/10/2026

Beware.

The Resourceful Late Talker...
And CHAIRS!

All children try it at sometime or other, but children who are not yet speaking can become VERY resourceful when it comes to using chairs to obtain what they want.

Independent? You bet. But, there is no need to COMMUNICATE with you if your little one can move furniture to get their own needs met!

So, my tip? Teach your child that moving furniture and climbing on chairs is strictly off limits. Not only will this increase his/her need to communicate with you, but it will keep them safe!

02/17/2026

A MUST Have Word, Right?

I asked her this afternoon if there were any words she was struggling with... any words SHE wanted to say more clearly.

"Yes!" She said, and she stated the word.

I had no idea even after she repeated it a couple of times.

"Mo, it's like ketchup but white."

"Oh," I said, "mayonnaise?"

"No the other white stuff."

"Oh Ranch!"

We aren't working on the "R" sound yet, but given how much I love Ranch, I understood her desperation.

So I showed her how to try it, and gave her some prompts for the "ch" at the end, and low and behold, out comes what sounds like "Ranch!"

No human being should have to go through life not being able to clearly request the best condiment in the entire world! 😍

02/12/2026

I truly NEVER would've imagined it.
But you just can't predict where a child will go!

When I first met him nearly 10 years ago, he was one of about 25 children in the WORLD with a rare genetic disorder, a hallmark symptom of which was very severe Apraxia of Speech (a rare neurological disorder that impairs the brain’s ability to plan and execute the motor skills needed for speech.)

Most children with this genetic mutation are considered functionally “nonverbal,” relying on alternative means of communication. And that holds true for his peers with this genetic mutation today.

But this young man? Not only does he communicate in short phrases/sentences, but his speech intelligibility has improved MARKEDLY in recent years.

How overjoyed was I to receive an early morning text today to let me know that he had just successfully “argued” with Alexa over breakfast and made the voice recognition software CHANGE her warning message of “Two minutes left” to “Two MORE minutes!” He had spoken his command so CLEARLY that the software understood him!

Wow! Such technology is challenging. How far he has come. Not only is he verbal, but I never would have imagined he'd be able to say words so CLEARLY!

What a hard working and amazing young man he is and I feel blessed to be a witness to his growth as a successful communicator. I won't pretend to know where his road leads, but let's go!

01/31/2026

Watch Out World.
Here She Comes!

Sweet Avery is the absolute poster child for treating EARLY. When she came to me at a bit under 2 1/2 years old, she wasn't saying ANY words- not even "mamma" or "dadda."

Despite being smart as a whip, she tried to communicate with what I can only call "nasal snorts," using her voice and making noises through her nose. (Honestly? I'd never seen anything like it.)

Fast forward to today. This sweetheart is now a little over three. Just 31 sessions after we started, her expressive language skills test WELL above average for her age, and I was able to quickly treat some sound error patterns that appeared when she started to speak in words.

I will deeply miss you Avery. You have been a challenge and an absolute joy to me!

Now go take on the world my girl, because I know YOU HAVE A LOT TO SAY!

01/29/2026

Childhood Apraxia of Speech (CAS) is a neurological impairment of motor planning. It is relatively rare, thankfully, but intensive treatment is recommended and the earlier the better.

I have treated a number of cases over the course of my career and have found parents often recognize the early signs only AFTER a diagnosis has been made.

So here are a few things to look for.

Questions? Feel free to reach out anytime!

01/25/2026

My office will be closed Monday, 1/26. Stay safe, warm and enjoy the snow!

01/23/2026

You Want WHAT Song??
(I needed this laugh at the end of a Friday!)

He is on the Autism Spectrum and is becoming more and more verbal, but will sometimes just shut down in sessions for no apparent reason and simply refuse to engage in ANYTHING.

It happened last Friday, so tonight Dad and I agreed he could have a few goldfish crackers while listening to his favorite Bruno Mars on my phone in between our activities (all of which I had placed on the floor for him to pick from).

But he didn't like the Bruno song I chose, and indicated a different choice on my screen. The song he picked?

"The Lazy Song"

"Today I don't feel like doing anything,
I just wanna lay in my bed..."
"Leave a message at the tone
'Cause today I swear I'm not doing anything."

Lol, it worked like a charm and he did great with all of the activities.

But I swear he smiled and smirked a little every time I put that song on! 😂😂😂

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.

Address

59 East 4th Street
Williamsport, PA
17701

Telephone

+15703603413

Website

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