Is your child an unwilling mask wearer?

If and when school returns masks will be required at all time son school grounds. As a parent, the thought of getting a young child to wear a mask brings up memories of my efforts to keep hats on mt children in order to prevent sunburn. Strategies I tried included distracting them, finding hats with ties making it harder to pull off or I let them pick out their favorite team’s hat with its logo.

It was a struggle nevertheless.

Similarly, wearing masks and/or keeping them on for a prolonged period (over two hours) is sure to be challenging for most children. Here are some sensory-based tips and tricks for helping the resistive child.

To begin, talk with your child. Be certain that they understand why they must wear a mask. There are many social stories for young children that address mask wearing.

Next, acknowledge that wearing a mask is not easy and ask why they do not like wearing a mask. You will be surprised by their ability to pinpoint what is bothersome for them.

With that you can begin to find solutions to make mask wearing more tolerable.

The most likely reason that children resist wearing a mask is that there are one or more sensory aspects that are bothersome. Think of a mask as a piece of clothing. We all know that fit and comfort can make or break your wearing a certain garment. How many of you are wearing fitted jeans as you work remotely? Some common reasons for mask avoidance include:

·       It feels rough or scratchy

·       It tickles (too loose) or is too tight

·       It smells inside

·       It’s too hot and sweaty

·       It hurts their ears

·       It’s hard to breathe.

Once you have a better understanding of which sensations make wearing a mask difficult, you are ready to find a more sensory-friendly mask for your child. First, conder the following.

·       Material – soft cotton, polyester/spandex

·       Shape – square or diamond

·       Strap style design – ear loops, single band with adjustable tug cord

After you have settled on a mask that fits your child’s sensory needs, begin building their tolerance to wearing the mask. Have them wear the mask for short periods at home while engaged in fun activities. Gradually increase the time worn daily. As the wearing time lengthens, you may encounter new sensory obstacles such as ear pain, moisture issues or smells.

Here are a few tricks for these issues:

·       Be sensitive to laundry detergent smells. Scent free or scented?

·       Consider a silicone mask bracket insert to reduce moisture and fogging glasses.

·       Button headband for ear loop masks – no tugging at ears.

·       Ear savers allow a mask to be attached behind the head instead of around the ears.

·       Brush teeth prior to donning a mask.

·       Suck on a mint or hard candy.

·       Let your child pick out the mask with their favorite characters of color. Sometime that is motivation enough.

·       Provide fidgets to keep hands busy to reduce the urge to touch or remove masks.

Armed with these sensory tips and tricks, here’s to a successful transition back to in-person learning for our youngest students while wearing their sensory-friendly masks.