Does anyone else have a baby / young toddler and really not want to wear a mask

[roarfeckingroarr]

Because of how it might impact their development?

DS is 13 months and is so close to speaking. I talk to him all the time to help his development. I feel uncomfortable about him not being able to see facial expressions, see me speak, hear words clearly etc while we're out and about (a lot of the day).

Anyone else feel this way?

Yep. It’s the main reason I’m not going to be wearing a mask. I’m not stalling her development further because people are freaking out over the flu.

Also don't understand how you're really going to spend that long in a day either on public transport or in a shop...

here’s a peer reviewed research paper which states: “These data suggest that while there may be some challenges for children incurred by others wearing masks, in combination with other con- textual cues, masks are unlikely to dramatically impair children’s social interactions in their everyday lives.”

journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0243708&type=printable

No conflicts of interests declared by the authors funding for the study provided by reputable research organisation.

Of course I am just a random on the internet so I could also be cherry picking and biased (!), but try PubMed for a search of the published research literature, or some of the scientists in Twitter are v good. For good threads on masks Trisha Greenhalgh is v good.

Stop trying to invent ridiculous reasons to justify your selfishness a d just get on and put the bloody thing on for the TINY amount of time it's required . Or if it truly bothers you that much then save all shopping needs until your partner is home , leave baby with him and go shop on your own. Most supermarkets are open until late.

@Finknottlesnewt

Stop trying to invent ridiculous reasons to justify your selfishness a d just get on and put the bloody thing on for the TINY amount of time it's required . Or if it truly bothers you that much then save all shopping needs until your partner is home , leave baby with him and go shop on your own. Most supermarkets are open until late.

Nope. I’ll shop when is convenient for me and I won’t be wearing a mask.

You think I’m being selfish? I think you’re being selfish for trying to force the rest of the population to wear masks because you’re panicking about the flu.

Unless you only talk to your baby on public transport or in shops, I can't see what your problem is.

@roarfeckingroarr

Because of how it might impact their development?

DS is 13 months and is so close to speaking. I talk to him all the time to help his development. I feel uncomfortable about him not being able to see facial expressions, see me speak, hear words clearly etc while we're out and about (a lot of the day).

Anyone else feel this way?

Unless you are out with the child in a place where masks are mandatory and you are there 24/7 there will be no effect.

@RedWingBoots

Small children are actually extremely good at working out people's facial expressions from their eyes and upper face.

My DD knows who is smiling at her and who isn't while wearing a mask so responds appropriately.

Likewise when I've looked at babies and small children when wearing a mask.

Also unless your child is hearing impaired they will have no difficulty hearing you.

I agree with this, it's fascinating. I was at the GP for my newborns 8 week vaccinations the other week and we were smiling away at each other during the wait despite my mask. My eldest was about 1.5 when masks became the norm and it didn't impact his development or hinder communication. Babies and children are more perceptive and adaptive than we give them credit for.

I'm in Scotland so have been wearing a mask in shops, indoor places, etc. since DD was 13 months old! She is now an absolute chatterbox and not fazed by people wearing masks at all.

@Finknottlesnewt

Stop trying to invent ridiculous reasons to justify your selfishness a d just get on and put the bloody thing on for the TINY amount of time it's required . Or if it truly bothers you that much then save all shopping needs until your partner is home , leave baby with him and go shop on your own. Most supermarkets are open until late.

😂 because you say so?

@colourfulpuddles so you are deliberately breaching the law?

Also you are aware that any retailer or public transport company can refuse you entry?

It won't make much difference unless you're in a supermarket all day every day. The majority of the time he will be able to hear and see your mouth moving. They still aren't compulsory at soft play, baby groups etc.

[quote RedWingBoots]@colourfulpuddles so you are deliberately breaching the law?

Also you are aware that any retailer or public transport company can refuse you entry?[/quote]
Yes.

They can, but they won’t. They don’t know if I’m exempt or not and even if they ask (which they won’t - retailers teach their staff not to argue so as not to cause offence) and I say I am what are they going to do? Argue that I’m not? 😅 Nope.

It’s not just shops and public transport though, most toddler groups, classes, soft play and so on are still at least asking (if not requiring) you wear a mask.

I hate wearing a mask because it makes my face itch. (Doesn’t matter which mask, I used to have the same issue covering my face when it was really cold skiing!) My daughter sometimes pulls it which really hurts my ears where the elastic digs in. I detest the way I can’t hear people clearly in them.

That said, my daughter is 2.5 so was 1 when this all kicked off. Her speech was slightly delayed I think, though I’m comparing that to her peers who were in the same situation, and also I wore a mask the minimum I could get away with. Since she started speaking at just before 2 she hasn’t shut up and I no longer have concerns. I can’t honestly say mask wearing made a difference.

@Starplek

Do you spend all day on public transport or in shops? Don't wear one if you feel it would hinder your child, but realistically is it really an issue?

I was thinking the same. I was out all day with my kids in the local nature park and the zoo. Not the shops.

You don't have to wear a mask except on public transport and in shops, so unless you are spending the bulk of your day shopping or travelling it shouldn't be a problem.

I totally see where you are coming from as of course their language development is important and it is great you are talking to them. But I think you are overthinking this given how little of the time you will actually have to wear a mask when out and about.

I have a completely non verbal almost 5 year old. I wouldn't dream of not wearing a mask. If you don't want to wear one then don't but this is a flimsy reason.

I asked a question. I didn't say I wouldn't wear one.

Fuck me you are right @roarfeckingroarr this must be why all Muslim kids become terrorists.

NOT

Your DC will not be damaged, you will not be damaged, pull up your big girl knickers and get on with it. Part time facial coverings are quite normal globally.

You're way overthinking things.

I have a 3.5 year old and 1 year old, i.e. they were 2 and not yet born when everything kicked off. We're in NI where masks (thankfully) remained compulsory throughout.

Neither of them are bothered by masks at all. The baby loved when I'd put mine on every day when we got to town, especially when they had patterns.

No problems with development for either, and no difference in their interaction with me or others with or without a mask.

Tbh, the times we're in shops etc and I'm wearing a mask aren't naturally the times we tend to be chatting anyway. At home or in the playground etc we're not wearing them anyway.

OP I’m hoping this response will be a bit more thoughtful and a bit less judgmental than some of those upthread.

I used to teach (primary including Early Years), have an Master’s in an area allied to child development and am considering retraining in speech and language therapy, so know a little bit about this. I also have an almost 4 year old DD.

Personally I dislike masks, and instinctively seek to avoid wearing them around my own child. But with masks currently mandated only for shops and public transport I wouldn’t be unduly worried about any developmental impact; I get that it’s horrible not being able to chat to your little one unhindered, but as others have said most early language acquisition happens in other contexts. I’d be somewhat more concerned if the mandate is extended to other settings, such as toddler groups and indoor leisure activities, or if caregivers in childcare settings were required to wear masks.

With DD we’ve recently been visiting potential primary schools, and every one of the five we visited mentioned that they’d noticed an increase in early speech and language and socialisation issues this year. Mostly this was attributed to lockdown, but the staff I chatted to did think mask wearing had had some impact too. More children were presenting with S&L difficulties prior to Covid anyway due to screen use, lack of quality communication at home etc - I saw a lot of this when I was teaching - and for vulnerable children in particular it doesn’t take much to tip them over the edge into it becoming a diagnosable problem.

The most important thing is that you’re interacting meaningfully with your DS at home, modelling good language use, not letting him have excessive screen time, and providing opportunities for him to observe and communicate with a variety of people in a range of settings when out and about. I think a lot of the issues that schools are seeing now stem from the very limited range of experiences some of these children were exposed to as a result of lockdown measures. Make sure he’s taken to cafes, markets, toddler groups, swimming, parks - as many settings as you can reasonably manage.

Apologies for the long post but hope it’s all vaguely reassuring.

Why are you out and about inside so much? Aren’t we supposed to be limiting doing this?

Also please ignore idiotic posts like this, from people who would probably have small children trudging miserably around muddy parks for six months of every year. For optimal socialisation and language development kids need to see as much of the world around them as possible and interact with as many different people as is feasible. We made a point of still taking DD into shops, on buses and trains, to outdoor markets etc even at the height of the pandemic last year, despite the occasional episode of tutting and head shaking from people who would prefer we had her permanently cooped up at home.

I think it has become part of our children's world tbh. Dgs 2 and a half is most definitely aware as when I take him to a shop he will always say "Mask on Gangan" as we approach the door. And I laughed when saw he had put stickers over Peppa pig and co's faces as if they were wearing masks whilst we played. I'm sure the short time you need to wear them won't impact on your child's speech.

@hiredandsqueak

I think it has become part of our children's world tbh. Dgs 2 and a half is most definitely aware as when I take him to a shop he will always say "Mask on Gangan" as we approach the door. And I laughed when saw he had put stickers over Peppa pig and co's faces as if they were wearing masks whilst we played. I'm sure the short time you need to wear them won't impact on your child's speech.

That’s not funny. That’s depressing and shows how much we have indoctrinated our children with this nonsense.

How many hours a week do you have to wear a mask looking after your toddler OP?