COTA Adaptive Equipment and Assistive Technology Flashcards

A COTA recommends a non-slip bath mat for a client with balance deficits. This is an example of which type of intervention?

Answer: Compensatory/adaptive strategy

Non-slip mats modify the environment to compensate for the client's deficit rather than attempting to restore balance function.

Which spoon adaptation is most appropriate for a client with intention tremor secondary to multiple sclerosis?

Answer: Weighted utensil

Weighted utensils dampen the effect of intention tremors by providing proprioceptive resistance, improving feeding accuracy.

A COTA is trialing a stander for a pediatric client with cerebral palsy. What is the primary therapeutic benefit?

Answer: Weight-bearing for bone density, tone management, and upright positioning

Prone or supine standers provide therapeutic weight-bearing that promotes bone density, reduces tone, and improves physiological function in children with CP.

What is the main advantage of a button hook for a client with hemiplegia during dressing?

Answer: It allows one-handed manipulation of small buttons

A button hook enables a client with one functional hand to independently manipulate buttons by threading and pulling them through the buttonhole.

When conducting a wheelchair seating assessment, which body area does the COTA measure first to determine seat depth?

Answer: Posterior buttock to popliteal fossa

Seat depth is measured from the posterior buttock to the back of the knee (popliteal fossa) to ensure proper thigh support without pressure behind the knee.

A low-tech AAC board displaying symbols for basic needs is being introduced to a client with aphasia. What is the COTA's primary training goal?

Answer: Teaching the client to point to symbols to express needs independently

The immediate functional goal is for the client to use pointing or scanning to communicate basic needs, restoring functional expression despite verbal deficits.