Earcheck Middle Ear Monitor With Physician Accuracy Review

Every parent wonders this question. Do I go to the doctor of not? Is it an ear infection or is it not?  There are many different symptoms to indicate a middle ear infection in your infant or child, but often those symptoms also indicate a cold, flu, teething or other illnesses. So, how is a parent to know what to do? 

These symptoms also always seem to appear at the worst possible time, and parents in the middle of the night while taking a temperature are asking themselves "Do you send them to school/daycare?" "Do you go to work or stay home with them?" "Do you call the doctor and try to squeeze an appointment out of an already busy schedule?" 

Innovia Medical is a company which develops and markets new products to health care providers and parents to assist them in early and accurate detection of ear infections. EarCheck is one of the latest in their home health care product line.  It is similar in theory to a digital or ear thermometers and can provide parents with information on how to approach the comfort and care of their infant, toddler or child's symptoms. Most importantly it may take some of the guesswork out of when to pursue medical treatment.  

The primary goal of the EarCheck system is to easily and quickly detect fluid in the inner or middle ear.  Fluid in the inner or middle ear is a clear indicator that a medical professional should be consulted, especially if your child also has fever, cough, or runny nose. The EarCheck system is also an excellent tool to monitor the progress of their child's treatment and possibly determine if additional treatment is necessary. 

 In just 5 seconds a parent or medical professional can determine if a child has fluid in the inner or middle ear. 

How to use the EarCheck scanner:  The EarCheck system is easy to use and similar in use, size and style to an ear thermometer.  

1. Slip on the plastic cover, similar to those used in on a digital ear thermameter
2. Sit down with your child in your lap and pull on the ear lobe to straighten the curve of the ear. Do not place your child lying down on its side as that may affect the accuracy of the test result.
3. Place the tip of the scanner over the child's ear canal pointing down the canal's opening completely covering the child's ear canal.  It does not have to be "inserted" into the canal; it is simply to cover the opening. The tip of the EarCheck is designed so that it is not inserted too far into the child's ear canal, again similar to ear thermometers. 
4. Continue holding the ear back and press scan.  There is a series of short chirps (which the manufacturer claims are pleasing to a child), one short tone and one long tone.
5. Remove the ear check and the easily readily display notes the level of fluid detected

Features:

The tip is specially designed to not enter the child's ear too far and the use of disposable tips keep it clean, it is also considered very safe to use. The handle is an easy to hold and use design. An easy to read scale indicates the level of fluid likely on the child's ear.

Test Results:  After removing the EarCheck from a scale of 1-5 is indicated by the colors  colors green, yellow and red.  The scale is located on green if it is a 1, which means fluid is unlikely.  If the scale indicates 2 or yellow, fluid may be present, and the parent should continue to monitor.  If the scale indicates the red zone of 3-5 a parent needs to consult a physician and pursue treatment.

How does it work? The system emits a "chirping" sound that "bounces" off the eardrum.  If there is no fluid on the ear drum then it will bounce back easily and clearly to be read by the scanner's processor as clear (a green or 1 on the scale.) In the event there is a delay in the return of the sound to the processor then depending on the length of the delay and other factors the scan may indicate yellow/2 (continue to monitor) or 3-5/contact a physician. 

Endorsements: It is FDA approved and endorsed by many pediatricians and health care professionals. Doctor's offices are usint it to assist them in making a diagnosis. 

Warnings:The manufacturer of the Innovia EarCheck warns against

• the use of this product on infants under the age of six months,
• children with ear tubes,
• children with "swimmer's ear,"
• children with known damage to their ears such as a perforation or rupture of the eardrum,
• children with facial or ear deformities and/or on children with visible signs of drainage of pus or blood from the ear.  
• Adequate research is not available and the EarCheck system has not been approved for use on people over the age of 15 or adults.  

The Innovia EarCheck cost approximately $60.00. Shipping weight is less than one pound.  It is lightweight and easily held in your hand with the dimensions being 8.5 inches in length and 3.2 inches in width. It is available either online, or may be purchased at retailers such as Wal-Mart, Walgreen's, CVS and Target. 

My Viewpoint:

Considering the number of times I have gone to the Urgent Care Center or the pediatrician's office and paid a $35.00 co pay to find out that I should come back in a day or two if symptoms don't improve, the $60.00 cost of this product is quite reasonable. The Earcheck monitoring system is quick, easy and safe to use. The use of this product may cut down on trips to the doctor's office, it may help with quick and efficient treatment of ear infections. For example, by using this system, instead of waiting a standard 7-10 days to determine if the antibiotics are working by going to a followup visit you can determine much faster if they are working and even request a different or stronger dose. . 

The use of this method of early detection may also help pediatricians and parents with their decision to use an antibiotic treatment "just in case." Continued use of antibiotics in young children can lead to antibiotic resistance and when the need truly does arise for the use of antibiotics you child may not respond to them as well as they would have if they had not been used on a consistent basis, so it important to choose the best opportunity for preventative treatment.