wierd problems with KAMP

[Susan Moore]

I'm stumped with this and I want to know if anyone has had similar experiences,
and if anyone has any solutions...

My problem is that I have had 3 patients all with K-Amp circuits from various 
mfgs. have very strange problems (strange in that I haven't heard of these problems
before--which could be my lack of dispensing experience which is why I appeal to
the group for help).  These problems are described as "beeping," intermittentcies,
and one patient had a VERY wierd sound when opening and shutting the battery door
of a CIC that sounded like an airplane taking off and landing that was 
intermittent.  Furthermore, the aid frequently wouldn't work right away after the 
airplane sound/closing batt. door and took several seconds to come on.

The airplane problem only happened with the battery door being opened or closed and 
the factory told me that the aid was shorting out and then kicking in.  I don't know 
enough about electronics and while I guess this is a possible answer, it sounded 
fishy to me and the guy's other hearing aid NEVER did this and I and 3 other 
experienced audiologists had never experienced this nor heard anything like what the 
aid was doing.  After two repair trips to the factory the aid still did this.  The 
first trip was a fit problem, though...but still....this was a very wierd thing that 
never was fully resolved.  The patient could live with it, so I let it go.

The other 2 KAmp problems have been similar.  The patient reports popping, ringing, 
and intermittentcies in the aid that they do not think is their hearing and that 
battery changes do not fix.  They say it is a different sound than the motorboating 
that the aid does when the battery is on its last legs.  Does Kamp have some sort of 
 problem?  Is this a fitting problem??  Is this just a coincidence and the aids just 
need repair?  This has happened with two different patients of mine.  Also, could 
static electricity have caused some damage to the aids and caused the circuit to do 
this?  Help!

Email the group and me personally with your replies if you don't mind!

Thanks!!

Susan
smoore at otolaryngology-po.oto.uiowa.edu