Genetic Center

The Genetic Center helps individuals and families determine the causes or inheritance of birth defects, developmental differences and other conditions including cancer. Services may include evaluation, testing, diagnosis, risk assessment, counseling, information and support.

Genetic services may be appropriate for your family if you have:

• A known genetic condition
• Unexplained intellectual disability, developmental delays, learning disabilities or autism spectrum disorder
• Birth defects or congenital anomalies
• Multiple unexplained physical problems or unusual features
• A family history raising concern of a genetic condition

The first appointment in genetics will take about 1.5 hours. If the person who is referred is a child, they must come to the visit. You should bring any relevant outside medical records with you. You may also fax your medical records ahead of time to 330-543-3677. If you fax records please write the patient’s name, date of birth, and genetics appointment date on the cover sheet. A detailed family history will also be obtained at your visit and so you may want to talk with family members and gather this information before the appointment. Telehealth services are available for many appointment types.

You may meet with several healthcare providers during your visit. These providers may include a nurse, genetic counselor and/or a genetic physician or nurse practitioner, and possibly a metabolic dietitian depending on the reason for the visit.

It is important to note that a visit in genetics involves more than simply having genetic testing. A full assessment will be completed and will include a detailed medical and family history, a review of relevant outside medical records, and depending on the reason for the visit, a complete physical exam. The genetics provider will discuss possible diagnoses, provide genetic counseling, and make recommendations about next steps. Next steps may include referrals to other specialists, x-rays or other imaging, laboratory testing, and/or genetic testing.

A follow-up visit is frequently needed when genetic testing results return. Your genetics provider will review the results and discuss next steps. Any necessary additional tests or evaluations will be ordered, and a care plan will be made.

Parent to Parent USA (national and Ohio support groups)

Family Voices (national and Ohio presence)

MyGene2 (portal for families with a similar condition to connect)

GenomeConnect (registry to connect with others who have a similar condition)

Join us for Rare Disease Day, an afternoon dedicated to raising awareness, sharing knowledge, and building support around those with diagnosed with rare conditions. This event welcomes families, caregivers, healthcare providers, and research professionals to come together to celebrate resilience, connect with the community, and advocate for the 300 million people worldwide living with a rare disease.

This event will provide attendees with education on multiple topics, inspiring patient stories, and connection opportunities. 

• Keynote Speaker: An inspiring advocate and leader in the rare disease community, sharing personal insights, experiences, and strategies to raise awareness and drive positive change.

• Patient-Focused Session: Tips and strategies for communicating effectively with healthcare providers about rare diseases, including personal stories and real-world experiences from patients and families.

• Provider-Focused Session: Exploring ethical considerations in rare disease care, illustrated through case examples and practical insights for healthcare professionals.

• Rare Disease Clinic Spotlight: Highlighting multidisciplinary approaches, patient stories, and innovative programs in rare disease clinics, with insights on diagnosis, care coordination, and community support.

Games, prizes and giveaways will be available to those who attend in person along with the opportunity to visit booths with information on local resources. 

Attendees can enter a contest to share a written story, poem, picture or short video clip about their personal experiences with a rare disease diagnosis, including struggles and/or accomplishments. Those who participate have a chance to win a prize and have their entry shared during the event. Email your contest entry to geneticsforms@akronchildrens.org

egister for the virtual session here.

Register for the in-person session here.