If we have to wear face masks - what about babies and young children?

[Aberforthsgoat]

Just musing on this as I try to wrestle four month old DS into a hat and get him to keep it on. The idea of keeping some kind of face mask on him seems impossible! Do young children and babies wear them in Asian countries where it's part of the culture?
Do you think you'll be able to get your DC to wear masks and keep them on?

[sleepismysuperpower1]

The CDC said children under 2-years-old should not wear a mask or any other face covering due to a risk of choking, strangulation, or suffocation x

[Aberforthsgoat]

Ah thank you, I didn't see that! I did wonder.

[sleepyhead]

These are risk reduction strategies - if those that can wear masks, those that can't (babies, small children, people with learning disabilities or other issues that make it too uncomfortable) are still exposed to less risk.

Masks for the public are mostly about protecting others from your germs.

[Kokeshi123]

As PP say, masks are not for really young kids. They are a macro type measure where it is about trying to get as many people to wear them as much of the time as possible. It's fine to be practical about the fact that some people cannot wear them and sometimes they have to removed for essential reasons.

In Japan you can get masks for kids as young as 18mo, but it's generally accepted that until about 3 it's very hard to get kids to wear masks.

A lot of people put a rain cover over the pram if they are going to spending significant time in a crowded space, like when you have to use public transport at a busy time.

[Hugglespuffed]

Yes please don't put mask on a baby! I saw a post doing the rounds on facebook where people had sewn masks to a dummy for babies. It made me shiver so much. It literally screams suffocation risk. I'm hoping the post was taken down in the end. Some people may not realise it and i would hate for children to suffocate because of misinformation

[Aberforthsgoat]

God that sounds scary @hugglespuffed that's exactly what I was thinking - the risk.
Sorry probably a really stupid question.
I have been using the rain cover actually since I first got nervous about this, thought I was being a bit mad so that makes me feel better!

[Honeybee85]

I live in Asia. Every adult who is out here on the street / supermarket wears a mask, myself and DH included. DS who is a baby doesn't wear one. They sell small masks here but I think they're for from 2 years old and up. Children I see here wearing masks are from 3 or 4 years old. My friend uses a plastic raincover over the pram when she is in the train with her DS who turned 1 years old recently, it was appearently advice from her midwife. Not sure what she will do when it's summer, will be too hot and humid I guess for a raincover.

[PestymcPestFace]

I don't think any country expects a baby two or under to wear a mask. Many countries only make mask wearing compulsory for children over six.

[crazydiamond222]

May I ask someone who lives in Asia what happens about autistic people or those with learning disabilities? My DS who is 9 and has autism would never keep a mask on.

[Hugglespuffed]

Oh OP don't apologise. It was not a stupid question at all. The thing is, at the moment there is so much information floating around that I think we find it hard to think straight. You knew it probably wasn't right. And it is good you asked because maybe some others will see it and learn :)
I'm honestly not sure what the next step will be..I work in childcare, we have been getting out (no masks for me and obvs not for the wee ones) but we have been going to open spaces. I'm not sure what we will do when we are allowed inside places.

[Yellowbutterfly1]

I’m the same as crazydiamond222, my disabled child would never be able to tolerate wearing a mask and they are 19

[Honeybee85]

@crazydiamond222

I don't know anyone with autism here but my guess is that parents would avoid to take these kids to any crowded areas. To protect them and to avoid staring from others who disapprove as people here feel easily ashamed of themselves if they don't conform to the written and unwritten rules of society.

[TheCanterburyWhales]

I'm in Italy and the govt has said children under 6 don't have to wear one. I imagine it's the same protocol in most countries.

[Spikeyball]

There will be older children and adults who also would never cope with wearing them. I don't believe it would ever be compulsory for those groups.

[Kokeshi123]

I think that if mask-wearing becomes the rule, it's essential to follow up with common-sense advice relating to the fact that I mentioned above---that we need as many people wearing masks as correctly as possible most of the time, not 100% of people wearing masks 100% perfectly 100% of the time. Tiny kids cannot wear them and some people with particular medical needs cannot either, also some people with learning difficulties. That is OK and we should all be able to deal with this. If you need to lower a mask because someone is hard of hearing and needs to see your lips, then you take a step back and lower the mask using the elastic at the sides, because helping the person to communicate needs to take priority.

In Tokyo I do see people with obvious learning difficulties out and about. I have seen some with and without masks, it depends on the person. I have never seen anyone acting unpleasantly as in, "why is this person not wearing a mask." Of course, not all learning difficulties are immediately obvious.