Tips To Help Your Child Wear A Mask
Masks are effective and safe, and help prevent the spread of Coronavirus. But they are also uncomfortable.
Getting your child to do something unpleasant or uncomfortable can be challenging. So how do we help our children and teenagers successfully wear masks for long periods? Some tips and strategies for mask-wearing from the perspective of a pediatrician mom!
For more information on how to choose a mask, check out this post.
Brief Summary
The correct way to wear a mask is to cover your nose and mouth fully.
Some strategies to help your child wear a mask. Remember: it is not safe for children under 2 to wear a mask! A list of other children who should not wear masks can be found here.
Additional tips for teenagers and for children with disabilities.
Top 7 Tips To Help Your Child Wear A Mask!
1. Practice! Practice! Practice!
Start building up mask tolerance this summer. Kids are more likely to be amenable to the mask if you start normalizing it in environments where they are already relaxed and comfortable. Practice playing indoors and outdoors in the mask, along with doing chores, projects and reading, to help prepare them.
2. Model good behavior!
As in all things, children are more likely to learn from watching us. This is true for helmets, seatbelts, sunscreen, and masks. If you complain about your mask, or keep pulling it down to talk, your child is less likely to wear it appropriately. Your attitude often determines your child’s approach to new things.
3. Allow them some control!
Let your child pick the mask colors or fabrics, or allow them to decorate their own mask. Older children, in particular, may welcome the option to reflect their identity and choose a mask representing a favorite team or group.
4. Talk about it!
Answer your children’s questions about masks, acknowledge any fear your child may have and discuss why the masks are important. For younger children, stories about mask wearing can be helpful as well, such as this one on Sesame Street. Remind them that everyone will be wearing masks, including their friends and family.
A simple explanation for why masks are necessary: “Wearing a mask is a bit like sneezing into your elbow, or washing your hands; the mask helps to keep other people around us from getting sick. Sometimes it is possible to spread germs even if we do not feel sick.”
Teens Vs. Toddlers
In most cases, toddlers want to be just like their parents. They want to feel grownup. Wearing matching masks and demonstrating to them that these rules apply to grownups is often a helpful trick to motivate them into mask wearing. Teenagers, however, are a whole different ball game. They often want to be different from their parents, and allowing them some autonomy to choose a mask representing something they care about is a great first step.
In both cases, a relatively clear set of expectations is helpful.
Teenagers do appreciate being treated as responsible members of the family, and many of them really care about doing the “right” thing. Emphasizing that wearing a mask is safe, and effective, and helps protect more vulnerable members of the family can be helpful.
5. Praise!
Positive reinforcement is a valuable tool. Sticker charts, small rewards, elbow bumps, and verbal praise can all make a difference.
6. Have some fun!
Role-play with the masks on a favorite stuffed toy, or with different costumes. Wear matching masks! Discuss different stories where people wear masks (such as superheroes or superheroines). Take selfies. Play games. Try to guess each other’s facial expressions while wearing the masks.
7. Take Breaks!
Acknowledging that masks are hot, make it harder to breathe and talk, or to understand one another is important. Take frequent breaks if your child is becoming frustrated, but continue to emphasize the importance of adjusting to this new recommendation. The last thing you want to do is make wearing a mask another power-struggle.
Children With Disabilities
A child with disabilities or health problems including sensory sensitivity may have an especially hard time wearing a mask or adjusting to the changes that the COVID-19 requires. I spoke with Ashley over at Joyful Mama Mentor to get some tips for how to help prepare these children for wearing masks. Ashley is an Occupational Therapist with a great deal of experience working with children with emotional, behavioral and learning challenges (such as ADHD/ADD, Sensory Processing Difficulties, Anxiety, and Emotional/Behavioral disorders).
Many of her suggestions are similar to those above. She added that for a child who is having a hard time wearing the mask, try to determine and solve the specific problem that is bothering them. This may include:
Fabric: if the material is rough on the face, a softer or more breathable fabric may help with comfort. Avoid scratchy materials.
Fit: adjustable straps may allow for a more comfortable fit, or switching to a gaiter or different mask style may be an option.
Gradual desensitization: take small steps to increase their comfort level (let them hold the mask, then bring it to the face, then independently placing it on the face for 3-5 counts, and gradually increase the duration of time).
Adjustments for comfort: Ears are often a particularly sensitive area. Looping the mask ear loops around a button placed on a headband or hat can make the mask more comfortable.
It is also always an option to reach out to your friendly neighborhood Occupational Therapist for suggestions more specific to your child.
Final Thoughts
Consistent use of masks will help control the spread of Coronavirus and benefit us all. Make this a great teaching moment for your children. Many superheroes wear masks. Sometimes doing the right thing can be hard, frustrating or uncomfortable. During the COVID-19 pandemic, wearing a mask is the right thing; it protects your community, and is an act of kindness.
Questions about mask safety? Check out this post. Questions about which mask to buy? Check out this post.