Can CMV Cause Hearing Loss? – Healthline
When your baby is not feeling well or has a health concern, it can be very frightening. Sometimes those health concerns may be related to conditions that developed before birth.
One very common virus that a baby may contract while in the womb is cytomegalovirus (CMV). When a baby gets CMV before birth, it’s known as congenital CMV.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), congenital CMV is the number one infectious cause of sensorineural hearing loss i…….
When your baby is not feeling well or has a health concern, it can be very frightening. Sometimes those health concerns may be related to conditions that developed before birth.
One very common virus that a baby may contract while in the womb is cytomegalovirus (CMV). When a baby gets CMV before birth, it’s known as congenital CMV.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), congenital CMV is the number one infectious cause of sensorineural hearing loss in children. Nearly 1 in 200 babies is born with congenital CMV. Of those, 1 in 5 have lasting health effects, including hearing loss.
Some babies born with congenital CMV who experience hearing loss may have been born with the hearing loss, while others may have developed it during childhood.
Read on to learn more about CMV and sensorineural hearing loss in children.
Sensorineural hearing loss is the most common type of permanent hearing loss, according to the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association.
This type of hearing loss occurs when the inner ear does not develop properly or is injured.
The ear is made of three main parts: the outer ear, middle ear, and inner ear. If a child has congenital CMV, it may affect how the inner ear develops, leading to sensorineural hearing loss.
The inner ear includes a structure called the cochlea which is filled with liquid and has microscopic hairs. As sound waves move into the inner ear, they make the liquid in the cochlea vibrate. This vibration moves the tiny hairs in the cochlea and converts the sound into electrical signals. These signals are then sent through nerves to the brain so you hear the sound.
If any part of the inner ear does not develop or is damaged, sound signals cannot reach the brain, which results in hearing loss.
The signs of sensorineural hearing loss may vary depending on the age of the child and the severity of the hearing loss.
According to the CDC, signs of hearing loss a baby include:
- has no startle response when loud noises happen
- doesn’t turn to face a sound after 6 months old
- isn’t saying single words by 1 year old
- may appear to hear one sound but not another
- will turn their head when they see you but not when you call them
Signs of hearing loss in children include:
- has delayed or unclear speech
- often asks people to repeat what they said
- …….
Source: https://www.healthline.com/health/childrens-health/cmv-hearing-loss
