Dotty Wynn surprised us with an early arrival at 35 weeks gestation and earned herself a stay in the Special Care Nursery. The hearing test she received there showed significant hearing loss in one ear. That result would end up being a blessing in disguise. The hospital where she was born tests all children who have suspected hearing loss for congenital Cytomegalovirus (cCMV). It was that way that we found out that Dotty would need specialized services because she was positive for cCMV. As soon as she was discharged we were able to hit the ground running with the support of specialized physicians, Early Intervention, and local agencies. Today, Dorothy is thriving and we attribute her success to the early detection of cCMV. We are beyond grateful that the hospital’s policy ensured that we were educated about cCMV and gave us the head start needed to ensure the very best outcome for our daughter.
-Desiree & Lucas Sheppard (Lynn, MA)