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Increased Oral Secretions and Switch Use

Cindy Nankee, OTR/L, ATP

April 21, 2014

Question

I have clients that have increased oral secretions and need to use switches.  Can the switches get wet?  How do you handle this type of situation?

Answer

The first thing I would do is contact the vendor to see if there are waterproof switches available.  I would then look at positioning.  Could I position away from their mouth, maybe on their cheek?  Could I mount it differently, vertically versus flat?  I would contact the vendor to research the different switch types as well as mounting options.


cindy nankee

Cindy Nankee, OTR/L, ATP

Cindy is an Assistive Technology Professional and a Registered Occupational Therapist with 30 years of school-based practice. Author of Switch Technology chapter in Handbook of Research on Human Cognition and Assistive Technology by Soonhwa Seok.  Author of select modules in the Assistive Technology Internet Modules (ATIM) from Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) on Computer Access, Mobile Device Access, Switch Access and Motor Aspects of Writing. Cindy presents at state, national and international conferences. 


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