One thing we never want to see is a piece of screening equipment sitting on a shelf, needing repair, with a program unable to serve the hearing health needs of its children.  If you experience a problem with your Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE) screening unit, here are a series of troubleshooting steps you can take and contacts you can make to get your equipment working again:

• Ensure that probe tip (cover) is correctly placed on nozzle.
• Check the probe nozzle for blockage or damage; clean or replace nozzle as necessary.
• Check the connections between each part of the screening unit. 
• Be sure that the battery is charged, or that the unit is plugged into a functioning outlet.
• If your equipment has a calibration test cavity, insert the probe and run a test.  Not all OAE equipment has this feature--refer to the product manual that came with your unit to see if such a calibration check is recommended and how to perform it correctly. 

  

• Try running a screen on an ear, maybe your own ear, that typically passes. 
• Check your specific product manual for other troubleshooting tips and what to do to resolve specific error messages.
• Ask for help from your audiologist partner.
• Call your equipment vendor or the manufacturer and request assistance.
• Contact the ECHO Initiative at 435-797-3586.

Be proactive in taking whatever action is needed to get and keep your hearing screening equipment ready for use!