The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
Should children wear masks during pandemic?
When it comes to getting her child to wear a mask, Erika Setzer is fairly lucky.
She has a 12-year-old daughter and, while children that age aren’t exactly known for doing what they’re told, they are old enough to understand the risks of the COVID-19 pandemic, and to realize how wearing a mask can help slow the spread of the illness.
“My daughter wears the masks,” said Setzer, patient services manager for the children’s emergency department at Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital. “She sees me do it, and knows it’s the right thing to do.”
But Setzer realizes it can be more difficult to get younger children to wear masks. Everyone is required to wear a mask upon entering the hospital, and certain children are more open to it than others, she said.
“We don’t really have a problem with the 6 and older population,” Setzer said. “For the most part, school-aged children are pretty compliant because they’re smart and resilient and they see what’s going on around them. There is an element of fear in younger children of, ‘Why am I wearing this?’ ”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends masks for all children older than 2 to help protect themselves and others. For those younger than 2, Setzer said, the mask can be considered a suffocation risk.
But even with that age restriction, there are still children as young as 3 or 4 being told to wear masks, and Setzer agreed that can be scary for them.
Fortunately, she said, in most situations, social distancing is enough protection for children without the mask. The American Academy of Pediatrics agreed, saying in a statement on its website that if a child is at home with the “usual residents” and hasn’t been exposed to COVID-19, the mask isn’t necessary.
“If children can be kept at least 6 feet away from others, and not be in contact with surfaces that could harbor the virus, then they do not need a mask for the protection of themselves or others,” the site reads. “For example, during a walk outdoors, as long as children can maintain social distancing of more than 6 feet and do not touch tables, water fountains, playground equipment or other things that infected people might have touched, then they will not acquire the infection and would not need masks.”
If a child does have to wear a mask — for instance, in a hospital or another place where social distancing isn’t possible — Setzer has tips for making them more comfortable. First, she tries to get a parent or guardian to put the mask on, as a child will be more likely to wear the mask if they’re with someone they trust.
She also suggested putting a mask on a stuffed animal to show the child what it looks like and to make it less scary.
With older children, Setzer said parents should try to be as honest as is appropriate about why the mask is necessary.
In addition to fear and intimidation, another issue with masks and children is having it fit properly. Setzer said she still sees too many people — children and adults — wearing masks improperly.
“It shouldn’t stick out too far on the face,” Setzer said. “You can tell when someone has put an adult mask on a child. It sticks out on their face.”
As with any mask, she said, a child’s mask should be secure against the cheeks and under the chin. They should cover the mouth and nose and not have any straps hanging loose.
“It’s not protecting you if it doesn’t fit right,” Setzer said.