Description |
Congenital CMV (cCMV) infection is a leading cause of childhood disability. Many children born with congenital CMV infection are asymptomatic or have nonspecific symptoms and therefore are typically not diagnosed. cCMV is a leading cause of childhood hearing loss, vision loss, motor impairment, and cognitive deficit. The number of children with congenital CMV-related disabilities is similar to or greater than the number with better-known conditions such as Down syndrome or spina bifida. The economic burden caused by congenital CMV is substantial, as many affected children require significant ongoing care and special therapeutic and educational services. In these presentations, participants will learn about the spectrum of medical concerns and clinical outcomes for children born with cCMV. In particular, infection is the leading nongenetic cause of SNHL in children in the United States. Approximately 20% of all hearing loss at birth and 25% of all hearing loss at 4 years of age is attributable to congenital CMV infection. Yet the majority of children who ultimately develop congenital CMV-associated SNHL will not have hearing loss detectable within the first month of life, illustrating the high frequency of late-onset SNHL in these populations. As such, children with symptomatic or asymptomatic congenital CMV infection should be evaluated regularly for early detection and appropriate intervention of suspected hearing losses and other late-onset clinical outcomes, particularly in birth-3 populations.
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