Masks Don’t Hurt Kids

Less than a week to go until schools open in southwestern Pennsylvania and pediatricians are busy dispelling disinformation repeated by adults who oppose universal masking in schools. Pediatric lung doctors Kimberly W. Dickinson, M.D and Theresa W. Guilbert M.D. debunk the following myths about kids wearing masks with a simple “No.”

Can wearing a mask make it harder for my child to breathe?

[M]asks are made from breathable materials that will not block the oxygen your child needs. Masks will not affect your child’s ability to focus or learn in school. The vast majority of children age 2 or older can safely wear face masks for extended periods of time, such as the school day or at child care. This includes children with many medical conditions.

Can masks interfere with a child’s lung development?

No, wearing a face mask will not affect your child’s lungs from developing normally. This is because oxygen flows through and around the mask, while blocking the spray of spit and respiratory droplets that may contain the virus. Keeping your child’s lungs healthy is important, which includes preventing infections like COVID-19.

Do masks trap carbon dioxide that we normally breathe out?

No. There have been false reports that face masks can lead to carbon dioxide poisoning (known as hypercapnia) from re-breathing the air we normally breathe out. But this is not true. Carbon dioxide molecules are very tiny, even smaller than respiratory droplets. They cannot be trapped by breathable materials like cloth or disposable masks. In fact, surgeons wear tight fitting masks all day as part of their jobs, without any harm.

Can masks lead to a weaker immune system by putting the body under stress?

No. Wearing a face mask does not weaken your immune system or increase your chances of getting sick if exposed to the COVID-19 virus. Wearing a mask, even if you do not have symptoms of COVID-19, helps prevent the virus from spreading.

 

Here is another question without a simple answer: Do masks delay speech and language development? 

Masks are recommended for children 2 and up, so it’s certainly understandable that parents of kids attending day care, preschool, and early elementary grades would worry that constant masking might impair their speech and language development. The American Academy of Pediatrics tries to be reassuring, saying, “While this is a natural concern, there is no evidence that use of face masks prevents or delays speech and language development.”

A key part of learning to communicate for a child is watching the faces, mouths, and expressions of the people closest to them. Babies and young children study faces intently, so the concern about solid masks covering the face is understandable. However, there are no known studies that use of a face mask negatively impacts a child’s speech and language development.

 

As the saying goes, “Absence of evidence is not the same as evidence of absence.” But wait:

[C]onsider this: visually impaired children develop speech and language skills at the same rate as their peers. In fact, when one sense is taken away, the others may be heightened. Young children will use other clues provided to them to understand and learn language. They will watch gestures, hear changes in tone of voice, see eyes convey emotions, and listen to words.

 

The AAP offers a few tips to better communicate with children while wearing a face mask:

• get the child’s attention before talking

• face the child directly and make sure nothing is blocking the child’s view

• speak slowly and slightly louder (without shouting)

• ensure a child is using hearing aids or using other hearing devices, if they have been prescribed

• use eyes, hands, body language, and changes in tone of voice to add information to speech

• ask the child if they understood; repeat words and sentences when necessary

• reduce noise and reduce distractions

 

Parents who are concerned about their child’s development of speech or other milestones should not delay in speaking with their pediatrician. (We learned about delayed milestones and early intervention services here on The PediaBlog last week.)

Babies and toddlers can get all the face time they need in the home with family members who aren’t wearing face masks. This is enough. By providing dedicated time to converse with your child without screens or other interruptions—for example, at bath time and dinner time—children should reach their expected milestones.

Regardless of mask use, some children will take longer to reach speech and language milestones—and some may need help meeting them. Speech and language delays and disorders are common in young children, but these are highly treatable with help from a certified speech-language pathologist. If you have concerns about your child’s skills, don’t delay—seek an evaluation as early as possible. Children can be evaluated for free through their local early intervention program (no referral is necessary).

 

Remember: Your mask protects me and my mask protects you. Dr. Dickinson and Dr. Guilbert advise us how to make masks an effective layer of protection against COVID-19 and other respiratory viruses circulating in the classroom:

In order to be effective, masks should:

• Cover both the nose and mouth

• Fit snugly but comfortably against the sides of the face

• Be secured with ear loops or ties

• Have multiple layers of fabric

• Allow for unrestricted breathing

• Be washed and dried carefully after use

 

 

(Google Images)

 

source http://www.thepediablog.com/2021/08/19/masks-dont-hurt-kids/