2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
3/16/2026 | 11:25 AM - 11:55 AM | Leveling the Playing Field for Young D/HH Athletes: Best Practices for Sports and Extracurricular Programs | City Terrace 7
Leveling the Playing Field for Young D/HH Athletes: Best Practices for Sports and Extracurricular Programs
Young deaf and hard of hearing children may not experience the same level of inclusion in sports and extracurricular programs as typically hearing youth experience. Some barriers to full inclusion in recreational sports and programs include coach/instructor experience level, ability of caregivers to effectively advocate and educate staff, limited training, varying acoustic environments, etc. While much time is often spent on accommodations and modifications in school, many of these best practices look different outside the classroom where caregivers find themselves in the role of educating coaches and program leaders about how to best communicate with their child.
Boston Children’s Hospital Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program (DHHP) has an outreach and services component for children between ages 0-22, including workshops on transitioning from early intervention to preschool, support groups and resources, and family-centered events. Caregivers often inquire within our program about readily available resources they can share with their child’s coach to help them learn and implement best practices for D/HH children in a manageable way.
During these formative years, young children are beginning to explore sports and other enrichment activities outside of the school setting, many of which are often led by volunteers with limited training. After conducting research and seeking feedback from D/HH athletes, families of D/HH children, and coaches and instructors within the community, we developed resources to assist in making sports and extracurricular activities more accessible. During our presentation, we will discuss the importance of positive first experiences with sports and other extracurricular activities for pre-school age children. We will share resources we created for coaches, instructors, and caregivers and will discuss best ways to use them. We will also share feedback from families and coaches who have used these resources and will seek additional feedback around areas of future improvement of these resources from presentation participants.
- Discuss the importance of positive first experiences with sports and other recreational activities for young D/HH children
- Identify strategies and accommodations that can be used by coaches and instructors to facilitate successful participation and inclusion for young D/HH children in sports and extracurricular programs
- Examine strategies to empower caregivers in educating coaches and program leaders about best practices for young D/HH children
Presentation:
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Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Katie Prins McCarthy
(Co-Presenter), Boston Children's Hospital, katie.mccarthy@childrens.harvard.edu;
Katie McCarthy is the Outreach and Support Services Coordinator for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at Boston Children's Hospital. She oversees family-centered events, educational training needs, parent workshops and program development needs. Katie has been involved in the human services and healthcare sectors for over twenty years, first in marketing and management and currently in outreach and accessibility.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Boston Children's Hospital.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Boston Children's Hospital.
Nature: Salaried employee.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
Kellye Greer
(Primary Presenter), Boston Children's Hospital, kellye.greer@childrens.harvard.edu;
Kellye Greer, M.Ed., is a Family Connections Specialist for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Program at Boston Children’s Hospital. She is a former elementary educator and literacy teacher coach with a specialization in English Language Development for multilingual learners. Kellye is also the parent of a Deaf child. She assists in planning and facilitating family-centered outreach events, as well as planning parent workshops and revising and creating helpful resources for families.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
No relevant financial relationship exists.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.