South Florida girl, 10, hears clearly for the first time after CMV diagnosis
A ten-year-old South Florida girl burst into giggles the moment her cochlear implants were activated, marking the first time she could hear clearly in both ears.
"I… hahaha!" Gracie O'Toole exclaimed, her face lighting up in joy.
"The first voice I heard was my mother's voice. It was amazing," said Gracie.
That emotional milestone came after a long journey that began before she was even born.
Gracie lost her hearing due to congenital cytomegalovirus, or congenital CMV—a common yet often undetected virus that affects up to 80 percent of people during their lifetimes.
For most adults, it presents like a common cold, but when passed from a pregnant person to a fetus, it can cause permanent damage.
A silent virus with loud consequences
"CMV is a virus that's actually pretty common. Most of us have had this virus at some point in our life; it presents as a common cold," said Dr. Leonor Roach, an audiologist with Memorial Healthcare System.
"What happened with Gracie is called congenital CMV—meaning a pregnant individual contracts the virus, and then passes it along to the baby, and then it's present in the baby at birth."
Gracie's mother, Ashley O'Toole, recalled feeling slightly ill during pregnancy—just a mild cold—and had no idea she'd contracted something serious. Gracie was born prematurely at 34 and a half weeks and spent two months in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU).
"It's only dangerous when it gets exposed to newborns," Ashley said. "It's rampant in daycares. At that point, when I had her, I had a 3-year-old—she's in daycare—so I must have gotten exposed to it when I was pregnant with her."
Gracie's hearing issues surfaced early. She failed her first newborn hearing screening, which led to further tests and a CMV diagnosis.
New testing mandate brings hope for others
Thanks to efforts by Memorial Healthcare System advocates, CMV screening is now required for at-risk infants in Florida.
"That mandate broadened and now will impact any baby who is born premature—so before 35 weeks of life—any baby who has been in the NICU and is planning to be in the NICU more than 21 days," said Dr. Roach.
Gracie's diagnosis was a stroke of luck—her case was caught in time for early intervention. Now, babies born under similar conditions will automatically receive CMV screening.
"This means future children will get crucial help sooner and improve their quality of life," said Dr. Roach.
About 1 in 200 babies are born with congenital CMV. The virus can lead to a range of complications, from mild hearing loss to severe neurological issues. Although there is no cure, early treatment with antivirals—especially within the first 21 days of life—can make a significant difference.
Gracie is already looking ahead, eager to explore the world of sound.
"Keep on hearing things that are new and different," she said. "And now that I have the cochlear, it's amazing for life."
