How It Works

A healthy middle ear allows sound waves to easily enter the ear canal, causing the eardrum to vibrate and the ear to clearly hear sounds. If the middle ear becomes filled with fluid (called “effusion”), the eardrum’s vibrations can be restricted and may result in temporary hearing loss (called “conductive hearing loss”).

The EarCheck Middle Ear Monitor uses gentle sounds waves to accurately and painlessly detect the presence of middle ear fluid, a key sign of an ear infection. This is the same patented and proven acoustic reflectometry technology recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics.

Simply place the tip of the EarCheck Middle Ear Monitor into the child’s outer ear canal and press the SCAN button; the monitor works by sending a pleasant chirping sound into the ear canal. Some of this sound bounces back to the instrument’s built-in microphone. EarCheck then analyzes the reflected sound to determine if the eardrum is working normally. If there is fluid in the ear, the eardrum’s vibrations may be restricted. The greater the fluid level, the greater the reflected sound. Within seconds, you will be able to determine if your child has fluid in the middle ear.

The level of fluid is represented on a 1-5 color scale where level 1 (Green) indicates “Fluid Unlikely” and where levels 3 through 5 (Red) indicates “Likelihood of Fluid” to be high and suggests you should consult a doctor.

Note: EarCheck indicates the likelihood of fluid during time of testing. It is important to note that middle ear fluid is not always constant and may appear rapidly and dissipate quickly as well. EarCheck should NOT be used on children under 6 months of age, or with those who have ear tubes (ventilation tubes), water in the outer ear (i.e., swimmer’s ear), known perforations or rupture of the eardrum, ear deformities or visible drainage of pus or blood in the outer ear canal.