Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that children who are two-years-old and older wear cloth face masks. It may not be easy, at first, to get little ones to wear the cloth face masks. But there are things parents can do to make the masks less scary.
CDC says: Children 2 years and older should wear a cloth face covering their nose and mouth when in the community setting. This is an additional public health measure people should take to reduce the spread of COVID-19 in addition to (not instead of) social distancing, frequent hand cleaning and other everyday preventative actions.
A cloth face covering is not intended to protect the wearer, but may prevent the spread of virus from one wearer to others. This would be especially important in the event someone is infected but does not have symptoms.
Children younger than two-years-old should not wear a cloth face mask because the mask can be considered a suffocation risk.
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has excellent advice for parents whose young child is afraid of wearing a mask.
- While wearing masks, look in the mirror and talk about it
- Put a mask on a favorite stuffed animal
- Decorate a mask so its more personalized and fun
- Show your child pictures of other children wearing masks
- Draw a mask on their favorite book character
- Have your child practice wearing a mask at home first.
AAP recommends that if parents must go outside or to a place where they are not able to practice social distancing with an infant, cover the infant carrier with a blanket. This protects the baby and still gives the baby the ability to breathe comfortably. Do not leave the blanket on the carrier in the car or at any time when the baby and carrier are not in direct view.
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