Classroom
By Dori Cohen, MS, OTR/L, MSCS, CSRS, LSVT- BIG
Choosing the Right Tools
As an occupational therapist, I am extremely selective about the treatment tools that I use within the clinic and even more particular about the activities that become my “favorites. Clixo has quickly risen to the top of my list. When working with the neurological population, it is essential to choose treatment tools that address specific barriers to function – whether it be visual skills, fine motor coordination skills, generalized weakness, cognitive skills, balance etc. I tend to favor products that can be utilized in different ways. Using Clixo enables me to work on all these deficits simultaneously.
The Freedom to be Creative
I love watching my patient’s faces as I unbox the Clixo pieces for them – many unsure what to think as I lay out the 20+ magnetic pieces on the tabletop. As I demonstrate what Clixo can do, I start to hear the “woah” and “OMG!” and “let me try” phrases percolating. By the end of each session using Clixo, most patients acknowledge how much they love this product. Even the sound of the magnets clicking is satisfying. The colors are bright, but appeal to all ages. Even though we are working on a specific skill and incorporating some added challenges (i.e.. Standing on an unsteady surface, reaching high up/low down to obtain pieces, or copying a diagram), patients consistently leave feeling great about the session and about the product. It is an item that meets a person where they are now. It provides the freedom to be creative and fluid – without getting messy or making a mistake.
Each Patient Clicks Differently
As an OT, I love using Clixo in entirely different ways with different populations. When working with a patient who experienced a concussion, I recently set up an obstacle course in the clinic where he had to find 15 Clixo pieces hidden in various surfaces throughout the room and then create his own preferred formation using all the pieces – which was timed. Patient had to recreate the activity and try to beat his timed score. This was extremely motivating for him and he was more engaged than he had been in previous sessions.
When working with a woman with multiple sclerosis who wanted to improve her handwriting skills, I put matching Clixo pieces on both sides of a sheet of paper, so they were secured and she traced the various shapes with emphasis on precision and motor control. Tracing an item with unique curves added an interesting challenge to pre-writing prep. She did great and reported feeling so proud of herself that she was able to accomplish this task!
When working with a woman who had a stroke and had a resultant hemiparetic arm, I positioned the magnetic pieces on a vertical surface, a door in our clinic, and she reached and retrieved each one. This was hard for her to do, but she insisted on getting the job done! We layered the task with some cognitive demands like naming an item with a matching color to the piece she was retrieving, which helped keep the activity light yet multi-dimensional.
Additionally, when working with an individual with significant cognitive deficits, I set up a tabletop with Clixo pieces and I provided no other guidelines or task demands - other than explaining how the magnets work. This person came out of their shell and created an amazing object. She then worked on cleaning up the Clixo pieces by separating the pieces and sorting them by type back into basket. This was a “just right” challenge for this person.
A Universal Toy
This universal toy can be transformed into creative and individualized therapeutic interventions and is a perfect addition in our outpatient clinic.
