Conventional Analog: This technology has the same amount of amplification for quiet, medium and loud sounds until it reaches the maximum intensity where loud sounds are limited.  The audiologist can adjust the parameters of the hearing aid by adjusting trimpots with a screwdriver.  Frequent adjustments of the volume control may be needed for all sounds to come into a comfortable range.  This technology has been around the longest time.  It is generally the least expensive.

Analog Programmable: These hearing aids have different amounts of amplification for different pitches at different input levels.  Your audiologist uses a computer to program each hearing aid for your child’s specific hearing loss.  Additional hearing information as well as observations about how your child is doing with his/her hearing aids can be used to help your audiologist further program fine tuning adjustments.

Fully Digital Programmable: These hearing aids use a computer chip to provide clearer sound quality.  Different amounts of amplification can be provided at different input levels to each of 4-16 overlapping frequency bands.  This kind of hearing aid has the greatest amount of flexibility to accommodate difficult to fit hearing losses.  Many of these hearing aids have the ability to reduce amplification of continuous machine noises like washing machines, dishwashers, vacuums, etc.  Some offer user-activated directional microphones which make sound in front of the hearing aid wearer louder than in back.  This feature is more helpful to older children in mainstream classes.  Digital programmable is the most expensive of these three technologies.