Latest news with #NationalCMVAwarenessMonth
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Generation ROC: 1st grader's hearing loss inspires mother's advocacy
ROCHESTER, N.Y. (WROC) — Like any other kid who wakes up in the morning, Lyla Russell gets dressed, eats her breakfast and brushes her teeth. One extra step for this special first grader—she puts on the processor for her cochlear implant. 'It feels great with my processor,' Lyla explains when asked how it feels to hear through both ears again. Lyla has congenital cytomegalovirus—or cCMV—a virus that passes from mother to child during pregnancy and can damage the developing auditory system. Her parents say they were initially confused by the diagnosis. 'My first reaction to that was — I had a lot of various emotions. I had never heard of congenital CMV, I had absolutely no idea what it was,' says mom Kara Russell. 'As a mother of three children never hearing about that I was sad, I was angry, I was concerned.' CMV infections are the leading cause of non-hereditary hearing loss at birth, according to resources by the National Institutes of Health, accounting for roughly 10 percent of cases. While the infection only affects Lyla in her left ear for now, her hearing could eventually fade in her right ear too. She's worked hard through all her mental fatigue and confusion to share her bright smile with the world. 'It's a lot of work. Her brain has to work very hard to get that hearing pieced together from her processor side, but since [getting the implant] it's been like night and day. She'd been going through a lot—some behavioral issues, some academic issues, she was receiving speech services,' explains Kara. 'We really didn't know what the root cause of it was, but then when we got the confirmation of her diagnosis and hearing loss, now with the cochlear implant it's been a huge improvement,' she continues. 'This is hard work for me. … To do everything with my processor,' Lyla adds. To better understand cCmv, Kara reached out to the National CMV Foundation. Her passionate search for information and ways to help other families lead to her being appointed as co-chair for the foundation's New York alliance program. 'Raising awareness, talking with other parents who have recently had the diagnosis of congenital CMV, speaking to legislators,' Kara explains of her role. 'I know how scary that can be. I know how desperate I was to find somebody that had heard of it and who had also gone through that experience as well.' 'I really didn't want to ever hear another mom say, how come nobody told me,' she continues. For National CMV Awareness Month in June, the foundation is highlighting two bills for New York to consider: one to ensure pregnant patients are given information about CMV and the other to ensure all newborns are screened for the infection. Lyla's perseverance inspires her family every day to push forward so every kid like her gets the help they need and to see themselves out in the world. One way her two siblings have rallied behind Lyla is drawing cochlear implants on their toys to make sure she never feels left out. 'She started noticing dolls. She said how come my American girl doll doesn't have a cochlear implant? How come I can't find a Barbie that has a cochlear implant? I said these are really great questions,' Kara explains. She says she hopes in the future, kids like Lyla can see clearly every day that they're not alone. 'Yeah, I'd like it a lot. If a kid with a processor was, like, in a magazine,' Lyla says. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Virus That Can Cause Hearing Loss in Babies Is Widely Unknown
ASHA Uses June Awareness Month to Urge Increased Public Education ROCKVILLE, Md., June 3, 2025 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- A common virus that is largely unknown and generally harmless in healthy individuals is also a leading cause of hearing loss in babies due to exposure in the womb. Yet most women are not warned about this infection—called cytomegalovirus (CMV). A worrisome 91% of women have never heard of CMV, according to the National CMV Foundation. To improve this picture, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) is sharing information and resources throughout the month of June, which is National CMV Awareness Month. "It's incredibly unfortunate that most pregnant women have never heard of CMV," said Bernadette Mayfield-Clarke, PhD, CCC-SLP, ASHA 2025 President. "This lack of public attention can rob women of the opportunity to take preventative measures that could protect their babies from numerous long-term conditions associated with this virus—including hearing loss and developmental delays." CMV can infect people of all ages. In the United States, nearly 1 in 3 children is already infected with CMV by age 5. More than half of adults will contract the virus by age 40. Most people who have it show no signs or symptoms and thus aren't aware that they have been infected. When healthy people do show symptoms, these are usually mild and include sore throat, fatigue, or fever. Congenital CMV is the term for children who are born with the virus. About 1 in 200 babies have congenital CMV. Of those babies, about 20% will experience long-term health problems. Most babies with congenital CMV do not show symptoms at birth. Congenital CMV is associated with long-term disabilities that are often delayed in onset. CMV and Hearing Loss Hearing loss is common in newborns with congenital CMV. Some babies will have hearing loss at birth, whereas others may develop it later. Because some of them will still pass their newborn hearing screening, it is important that all families are aware of the warning signs of hearing loss (ASHA provides a list of these signs in babies and toddlers). If a baby displays any of the signs, they should see a pediatric audiologist for a full hearing evaluation. Hearing loss in babies with congenital CMV may progress rapidly during childhood into adolescence. Consistent access to sound during childhood is critical for speech and language development, communication, and learning. Undetected and untreated hearing loss during childhood can restrict a baby's exposure to spoken language, which can have lifelong consequences. Except for Connecticut and Minnesota, most U.S. states do not screen all newborns for CMV. However, some states will test babies who don't pass their newborn hearing screening or have other risk factors or symptoms. If CMV is identified within an infant's first month of life, the baby can be treated with antivirals—medicines that may decrease the severity of hearing loss. Nevertheless, babies will still need to be closely monitored. All children with congenital CMV should have regular hearing checks. Early intervention services are tremendously impactful for children who have hearing loss and/or other diagnoses. Often, these children will benefit from multidisciplinary teams that include audiologists, speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and others. Preventing CMV Pregnant women can lower their chances of contracting CMV by reducing contact with saliva (spit) and urine from babies and young children. The National CMV Foundation encourages these practices: Wash your hands often with soap and water for 15–20 seconds—especially after changing diapers, feeding a young child, wiping a young child's nose or saliva, and handling children's toys. Being aware of your risk level is also key. Due to the high rate of infection in children under age 5 years, pregnant women who work with young children (e.g., pediatricians, preschool teachers/aides, speech-language pathologists) or those who already have a toddler(s) at home are at heightened risk. It is critical that pregnant women who interact with young children are diligent in the preventative practices above to reduce the risk of CMV. For more information about CMV visit, For more information about hearing loss and to find an audiologist near you, visit About the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA) ASHA is the national professional, scientific, and credentialing association for 241,000 members, certificate holders, and affiliates who are audiologists; speech-language pathologists; speech, language, and hearing scientists; audiology and speech-language pathology assistants; and students. Audiologists specialize in preventing and assessing hearing and balance disorders as well as providing audiologic treatment, including hearing aids. Speech-language pathologists (SLPs) identify, assess, and treat speech, language, and swallowing disorders. Media Contact Francine Pierson, ASHA, 301-296-8715, fpierson@ View original content: SOURCE ASHA Sign in to access your portfolio
