The #1 birth defects virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), causes more disabilities than Down syndrome, yet most women don’t know how to prevent it. Connecticut is now proposing House Bill 5147, which includes CMV education.
It’s too late for my daughter Elizabeth who was born with a severely damaged brain, but I hope the public will contact the Public Health Committee to support the bill along with a Yale professor, other medical professionals, and parents. A similar bill was passed in Utah.
According to the CDC:
Find out what's happening in Stonington-Mysticfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
•Congenital CMV causes one child to become disabled every hour.
•About 1 in 150 children is born with congenital CMV infection each year (approximately 30,000 children).
Find out what's happening in Stonington-Mysticfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
OB/GYNs didn’t tell me how to prevent CMV until after Elizabeth was born. Then I learned those working in daycare, or have a child in daycare, are at a higher risk for catching it as preschoolers are the majority of carriers. Mothers must wash their hands after handling toys and should not kiss their toddlers around the mouth. While I was pregnant, I had a toddler plus ran a licensed daycare center. In milder cases, children may lose hearing or struggle with learning. But Elizabeth's case was not a mild one. She died at 16.
See my short interview about my daughter and her dog on this USA 9 News clip.
If you would like me to speak to your group about protecting babies from cytomegalovirus, here is my PowerPoint on congenital CMV.
I am the Congenital CMV Foundation parent representative and author of Anything But a Dog! The perfect pet for a girl with congenital CMV. My adventure guide, Mystic Seafarer's Trail, also includes a congenital CMV prevention message.
Visit me at www.authorlisasaunders.com or contact me at saundersbooks@aol.com if you want to learn more.
