Hearing Damage The Result of Cytomegalovirus Infection

June 10, 2011 - PRLog -- Early detection of hearing loss in children is very important, as it affects their speech and language development. A study done by the University of Alabama at Birmingham, has gone over how a saliva test might be able to detect a virus which leads to hearing loss in newborns.

The virus called cytomegalovirus, once detected, can be treated effectively to prevent any kind of hearing health problems in children. This type of infection is passed from mother to child, and affects thousands of newborns each year.

Almost 35,000 mouth swabs from infants of seven different U.S. hospitals were tested. The virus was found in 97 percent to 100 percent of cases. Study co-author Dr. Suresh Boppana explains, "We now know that we have a test with saliva that works”, he goes on to say, "The challenge is, unlike the dried blood spot [heel stick], which is already used for newborn screening in hospitals across the country, we don't have a system in place for the collection of saliva. But we've shown that if you wanted to test a lot of babies for congenital CMV infection, it can be done."

This new finding will help in early diagnosis of a virus that might lead to loss of hearing. By doing so, children will have a better chance to develop their speech and language abilities normally and prevent hearing damage. If you believe your child might suffer from any kind of hearing condition, contact your local Audiologist.

# # #

Specializing in digital hearing aids for the Miami, FL area, New Generation Hearing Centers has created a new paradigm in patient care. A place patients get the information they need to make a good decision about their hearing loss and hearing aids