Gold Coast mother of deaf daughter warns parents of common virus Cytomegalovirus

A Gold Coast mother of a deaf daughter is urging soon-to-be-mums to get tested for a common virus while pregnant.

A GOLD Coast parent is urging soon-to-be-mums to get tested for a virus while pregnant after her daughter was born deaf.

Ami Silk said her daughter, Willow Taylor, was three-months-old when they discovered why she had been born profoundly deaf in both ears.

Early in Ms Silk’s pregnancy she had Cytomegalovirus (CMV), a common virus which can seem like a common cold but targets the brain.

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CMV can affect pregnancy in many different ways whether it causes preterm birth, low birth weight or hearing loss at birth or later in life.

“When Willow was born she failed five hearing tests,” Ms Silk said.

“Our hearts dropped. We were in shock and overwhelmed.

“When Willow was three months old they went back to the dry blood spot test and they found she was born with CMV.”

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When Willow was 10-months-old Hear and Say gave her the ‘gift of sound’, bilateral cochlear implants.

“Her eyes lit up as soon as she heard us say “Willow”,” Ms Silk said.

“We both cried.

“It was almost like seeing Christmas lights for the first time.”

Ms Silk said she was unaware of the impact of the virus when she was pregnant and hopes soon-to-be-mums learn from her experience.

“Go to your doctor and get an extra screen test, it is just a simple blood test,” she said.

“And if you are a family going through your child having hearing loss. I know it is overwhelming but you are not alone.

“It is not easy but there is so many rewards when you get through it.

“Willow now dances and claps when she hears music.”

Hear and Say have partnered with Loud T-shirt day on October 22 to raise funds for children suffering with hearing loss.

“Put on a loud T-shirt and help raise funds for Loud T-shirt day,” Ms Silk said.

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Originally published as Gold Coast mother of deaf daughter warns parents of common virus Cytomegalovirus