2026 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference
March 15-17, 2026 • Jacksonville, FL
| Empowering Families, Embracing Community: The DHH Alliance at Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Empowering Families, Embracing Community: The DHH Alliance at Cincinnati Children's Hospital
Cincinnati Children’s Hospital is home to a newly formed deaf and hard of hearing (DHH) Specialty Team focused on building meaningful connections with the local DHH community. We’re working to ensure that every family’s first steps into the DHH world are met with support, resources, and relationships that last.
The multidisciplinary DHH team currently includes audiologists, a speech-language pathologist, ASL interpreters, a developmental pediatrician, an audiology aide, and audiology externs. The mission of the team is to strengthen connections between Cincinnati Children's Hospital and the local Deaf community, provide comprehensive and up-to-date resources to families, and promote cultural sensitivity and accessibility for DHH individuals within the healthcare setting.
Recognizing that over 90% of deaf babies are born to hearing parents, we understand that the family's first exposure to the DHH world is often a medical diagnosis. While audiologists may offer a list of DHH or ASL resources, these can be overwhelming or overlooked during an emotionally intense time. To address this, our first big project is a post-diagnosis gathering for families designed to support and guide them through this transition. This gathering will include medical professionals, Deaf adults, interpreters, and local organizations. We hope the gathering will foster in-person commentary and help families build meaningful connections with the local community.
Although the team just formed in August 2025, we are actively developing several projects to improve care and community integration for families. We recognize that other institutions have established similar teams, and we hope to contribute to a growing movement toward more inclusive, culturally responsive care for DHH children and their families.
This poster will outline the formation of a DHH specialty team, highlight early initiatives, and include a QR code survey for feedback and suggestions.
- Explain the benefit of integrating a DHH specialty team into a hospital system
- Recognize examples of impactful projects carried out by a DHH specialty team
- List the professionals included in the multidisciplinary DHH team
Presentation:
View Presentation File
Handouts:
Handout is not Available
Transcripts:
CART transcripts are NOT YET available, but will be posted shortly after the conference
Presenters/Authors
Andrea Kottlowski
(Primary Presenter), Cincinnati Children's Hospital, andrea.kottlowski@cchmc.org;
Andi joined the Audiology team at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital in early 2025. She specializes in behavioral testing, hearing aids, and ABR evaluations. She received her Doctor of Audiology in 2019 from Gallaudet University in Washington, D.C., and her Bachelor of Science in 2014 from Indiana University. She is licensed by the state of Ohio.
ASHA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
• Receives Salary for Employment from Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.
AAA DISCLOSURE:
Financial -
Financial relationship with Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
Nature: Salary from Cincinnati Children's Hospital.
Nonfinancial -
No relevant nonfinancial relationship exists.