Since we are all fighting to flatten the curve of coronavirus pandemic, face masks have become safe and effective gear to attain a high level of protection against respiratory droplets, germs, fumes, smoke, and other hazardous particles. Adapting to this new normal is a big challenge for both adults and children. However, adults understand the significance and keep themselves aware of how bacterial and viral contaminants could be dangerous. But what about children’s safety?
Children have a tendency to touch their face, nose, mouth, and eyes frequently, thereby, it is the responsibility of every parent to safeguard their children from all sorts of infectious particles. It is crucial to teach them about the health risks of such hazards and select the right protective equipment for them to ensure safety. Like adults, they do need a face-fit face, comfortable, and highly effective face masks.
Still, wondering how to make the face mask more comfortable and even fun to wear for your kids? We have outlined some crucial pointers to help parents gain a clear understanding of how they can manage their kids’ tantrums and make them familiar with contamination risk factors.
Let’s get started!
How Do Kids Really Respond to Face Masks?
Some kids usually adjust to a new change pretty faster while some may feel uneasy and take a little bit longer to learn about several disease-causing factors and the importance of wearing a mask as a preventive measure. At first, they might feel cautious, it is better to give them a few minutes to look and watch a new look like a superhero. Parents can comfort their little ones through soothing words and adding creative elements to the mask to streamline the process.
What Kind of Face Masks Should Your Kid Wear?
When it comes to selecting the right mask for your kid, options are endless. It is good to use cloth masks, which is made out of a skin-friendly material or a cotton cloth that is comfortable to wear for long hours. Make sure to pick a mask that can be easily washed and sanitized for reuse and can help to minimize the exposure to contagion at the same time.
Adults can buy KN95 face mask or N95 respirator for effective fit and sealing whereas cloth face coverings is a viable option for kids when they are stepping outside their homes for outdoor activities or a trip to the grocery store. Here are some parameters to look for in effective masks: -
- It should fit snugly.
- It should be secured right with ear loops.
- It has multiple layers of fabric for extra protection.
- It promotes breathability without restriction.
- Kids can be able to wear and remove it easily on their own.
Why Children Require Different Masks than Adults?
You can easily buy masks online but it is important to pay attention to the fabric, fit, and breathability for a viable selection. Common masks are generally designed to fit adults’ faces but if kids wear those inappropriate-sized gear it may cause discomfort and certainly leaves the gap between face and mask. Therefore, it is crucial to buy children’s face mask that fulfills their sizes and comfort needs effectively, reducing the risk of infection transmission.
How Parents Can Make Face Masks More Comfortable for their Kids?
It is crucial to give a clear, age-appropriate explanation about COVID-19 to your kids to help them understand why wearing a face mask is necessary. This will also help children to progress the essential factors and stay in control during such situations.
If you’re having a hard time convincing your kid for wearing masks, here are some tricks you can follow:
Make children’s Masks More Personal
It could be exciting to decorate the mask with your kid using stickers, markers, and other creative things that will engage your child and enhance their ownership of the mask. You can mask a design out of a soothing clothing item or simply order a kid-friendly mask online.
Give Your Child Plenty of Choices
If you’re making a mask out of any clothing item like an old t-shirt, bandana, or scarf, give your child the freedom to select color or pattern themselves. Empowering kids to get creative with the mask will help them to feel more comfortable.
Practice Wearing a Mask
It is important to give kids sufficient time to practice wearing their masks as much as you can, before they might need to wear one outside in public settings. You can show your kids while playing how to put on and take off the mask to help them gain better control over this new journey.
Masks or any face coverings are essential for both adults and children to prevent respiratory droplets, dust, bacteria, splashes, splatters, fumes, and other health hazards. At the present COVID-19 crisis, it is a duty of every parent to prepare their child for new adjustments and teach them preventive measures like social distancing and regular hand washing to make a big difference.
