For Families
Cytomegalovirus
What is Cytomegalovirus?
- Cytomegalovirus is a common virus that infects people of all ages.
- In the United States one in three children is already infected with CMV by age five.
- Over half of adults have been infected with CMV by age 40. Most people infected with CMV show no signs or symptoms.
- Once CMV is in a person’s body, it stays there for life and can reactivate.
- People can also be re-infected with a different strain (variety) of the virus.
- When a baby is born with cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection, it is called congenital CMV (cCMV) infection.
- About one out of every 200 babies, or approximately 2,500 babies are born with congenital CMV (cCMV) infection each day.
- About one in five babies with congenital CMV infection will have long-term health problems such as hearing loss, vision loss, small head size, lack of coordination, and in rare cases, death.
Signs and Symptoms
Babies who have congenital CMV appear healthy at birth.
A few babies who have CMV who appear healthy at birth develop signs over time, sometimes not for months or years after birth. The most common of these late-occurring signs are hearing loss and developmental delay. A small number of babies may also develop vision problems.
The more common signs and symptoms in babies who have congenital CMV and who are sick at birth include:
- Premature birth
- Low birth weight
- Yellow skin & eyes (jaundice)
- Enlarged and poorly functioning liver
- Purple skin splotches or a rash or both
- Abnormally small head (microencephaly)
- Enlarged spleen
- Pneumonia
- Seizures
Adults with weakened immune systems, might experience serious problems that affect your:
- Eyes
- Lungs
- Liver
- Esophagus
- Stomach
- Intestines
- Brain
Healthy adults who are infected with CMV may experience few if any symptoms. When first infected, some adults may have symptoms similar to infectious mononucleosis, including:
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Sore throat
- Muscle aches
When to see a doctor
See your doctor if:
- You have a weakened immune system and are experiencing symptoms of CMV infection. CMV infection can be serious or even fatal for people with weakened immune systems. People who have undergone stem cell or organ transplants appear to be at greatest risk.
- You develop a mononucleosis-like illness while you are pregnant.
- You know you were infected with CMV during pregnancy. The doctor will likely assess your baby for hearing or vision problems.
Causes
CMV is related to the viruses that cause chickenpox, herpes simplex and mononucleosis. CMV may cycle through periods when it lies dormant and then reactivates. If you’re healthy, CMV mainly stays dormant.
When the virus is active in your body, you can pass the virus to other people. The virus is spread through body fluids — including blood, urine, saliva, breast milk, tears, semen and vaginal fluids. Casual contact doesn’t transmit CMV.
Ways the virus can be transmitted include:
- Touching your eyes or the inside of your nose or mouth after coming into contact with the body fluids of an infected person.
- Sexual contact with an infected person.
- The breast milk of an infected mother.
- Organ, bone marrow or stem cell transplantation or blood transfusions.
- An infected mother can pass the virus to her baby before or during birth. The risk of transmitting the virus to your baby is higher if you become infected for the first time during pregnancy.
Prevention
Careful hygiene is the best prevention against CMV. You can take these precautions:
- Wash your hands often.Use soap and water for 15 to 20 seconds, especially if you have contact with young children or their diapers, saliva or other oral secretions. This is especially important if the children attend child care.
- Avoid contact with tears and saliva when you kiss a child.Instead of kissing a child on the lips, for instance, kiss on the forehead. This is especially important if you’re pregnant.
- Avoid sharing food or drinking out of the same glass as others.Sharing glasses and kitchen utensils can spread CMV.
- Be careful with disposable items.When disposing of diapers, tissues and other items that have been contaminated with bodily fluids, wash your hands thoroughly before touching your face.
- Clean toys and countertops.Clean any surfaces that come in contact with children’s urine or saliva.
- Practice safe sex. Wear a condom during sexual contact to prevent spreading CMV through semen and vaginal fluids.
Brochures & Products for Families
Type | Name | Download PDF | Download Text |
---|---|---|---|
Brochure | What is Cytomegalovirus (CMV)? | ||
Brochure | Hearing and Speech Development (English) | ||
Brochure | Newborn Hearing Screening Program Brochure (English) | ||
Journal | Shared Plan of Care Journal | Text | |
Brochure | Newborn Hearing Screening Program Brochure (English) | Text | |
Brochure | Newborn Hearing Screening Program Brochure (Chuukese) | Text | |
Brochure | Newborn Hearing Screening Program Brochure (Chamoru) | Text | |
Brochure | Newborn Hearing Screening Program Brochure (Tagalog) | Text | |
Brochure | Newborn Hearing Screening Program Brochure (Korean) | ||
Brochure | Hearing and Speech Development (English) | Text | |
Brochure | Hearing and Speech Development (Chuukese) | Text | |
Brochure | Hearing and Speech Development (Chamoru) | Text | |
Brochure | Hearing and Speech Development (Tagalog) | Text | |
Brochure | Hearing and Speech Development (Korean) | ||
Brochure | Family Support Group | Text | |
Brochure | Family Support Group (Korean) | ||
Directory | 2023 Neni Directory | ||
Directory | 2018 Neni Directory | Text | |
Directory | 2017 Neni Directory | Text | |
Early Childhood | Hugando Parent Play Book (English) | Text | |
Early Childhood | Hugando Parent Play Book (Chuukese) | ||
Early Childhood | Hugando Parent Play Book (Tagalog) | ||
Early Childhood | 2015 Guam Early Childhood State Plan | Text | |
Early Childhood | 2015 Guam Early Learning Guidelines (Birth to 36 Months) | Text | |
Early Childhood | 2014 Guam Early Learning Guidelines (Three to Five Years) | Text | |
Early Childhood | 2013 School Readiness Plan | Text | |
Fact Sheet | 2020 Project Na' Mas Fitme Fact Sheet (English) | Text | |
Fact Sheet | Project Fitme Fact Sheet (English) | Text | |
Fact Sheet | Project Fitme Fact Sheet (Chamoru) | Text | |
Fact Sheet | Project Fitme Fact Sheet (Korean) | ||
Fact Sheet | Project Fitme Fact Sheet (Tagalog) | Text | |
Fact Sheet | Project Fitme Fact Sheet (Chuukese) | Text | |
Poster | Guam EHDI Audiologist | Text | |
Poster | Milestones of Normal Hearing and Speech Development | Text | |
Poster | Is Your Infant “At Risk” for Hearing Loss? | Text | |
Poster | Guam EHDI Poster | Text |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Parents
Why should my baby’s hearing be screened?
Babies learn to talk and communicate through hearing sounds and words from you and those around him/her. If your baby has a hearing loss, it may interfere with his/her ability to speak and communicate. Hearing screening allows you to know if your baby has a hearing loss so you can get the appropriate intervention services as soon as possible.
Is there a fee for newborn hearing screening?
No. The law mandates newborn hearing screening as a standard of care for ALL newborns on Guam. The screening is part of the routine care given to babies at birth, just like taking their weight and temperature.
What if my baby fails the hearing screening?
If your baby fails the hearing screening, it does not mean he or she is deaf or has a hearing loss. It just means your baby needs further testing. Your baby will be referred to the Guam Early Intervention System (GEIS) for further hearing evaluation. It is important to keep your baby’s hearing evaluation appointment to find out if your baby has hearing loss. Some babies need to be tested again even if they pass the first screening. Some babies may have certain risk factors that may cause a hearing loss, as they grow older. These babies need to have a hearing evaluation at 6 months of age, so discuss this with your baby’s doctor for a referral to an audiologist.
What are the risk factors that might cause my baby to have a hearing loss?
- There is concern about your baby’s hearing, speech, language or development for any reason
- Family history of hearing loss
- Born before or during the 30th week of pregnancy
- Birth weight was less than 3 lbs
- Experienced a lack of oxygen after birth
- Needed a machine to help him/her breathe
- Spent 48 hours or more in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) or had complications while in the NICU
- Was given medications that might hurt hearing (Ask your health care provider)
- Was exposed to infection that was present before birth
- Has head, face or ears shaped or formed in a different way than usual
- Head injury
- Infection that was present at birth or shortly after birth (Cytomegalovirus, Syphilis, Rubella, etc.)
- Jaundice (hyperbilirubinemia) needing special procedure (exchange transfusion)
- Was given medication for cancer chemotherapy
- Has had an infection around the brain and spinal cord called meningitis
- Has a condition (neurological disorder) that is associated with hearing loss
- Frequent ear infections
- Syndrome (CHARGE, down, etc.)
If your baby was identified with one or more of the high risk indicators listed above, or if any of these risk factors show up later, please call Guam Early Intervention System (GEIS) at (671) 300-5776 to schedule a FREE hearing screening BEFORE your baby is 6 months old. You can also make an appointment with your baby’s doctor to share your concerns about your child’s hearing.
Family Support Group
The Guam EHDI Family Support Group is made up of parents with children ages 2-10 who are deaf or hard of hearing and their families. The Group has been meeting since 2004 and has been sharing joys and tribulations of the challenges they face.
For more information or to join the group, contact one of the family leaders below:
Joyce Tejeresas
Mobile: (671) 838-4215
Email: flores.joyricha.joyce816@gmail.com
Ann Marie Cruz
Mobile: (671) 777-7991
Email: amdcruz@teleguam.net
Hearing and Speech Milestones
What is a developmental milestone?
Developmental milestones are a set of functional skills or age-specific tasks that most children can do at a certain age range. Your pediatrician or primary health care provider uses milestones to help check how your child is developing. Every child is unique. Therefore, although each milestone has an age level, when a developmental milestone is achieved varies from child to child.
Download CDC’s Free Milestone Tracker App from the Apple App Store, and Google Play. Learn more at cdc.gov/MilestoneTracker.