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Original poster

Do you think there'll be a long term effect of babies toddlers seeing humans in masks?

81 replies

waltzingparrot · 24/08/2020 15:45

I've just queued in the co-op behind a mum with a baby of about 6/7 months over her shoulder. I was doing all that smiling and waving you do when you are faced by a very alert baby.

As I was wearing a mask it just occurred to me that all these babies are missing out the cues of smiles on strangers etc. Do you think it could have a long term effect?

OP posts:
ineedaholidaynow · 24/08/2020 22:54

When DS was a baby I spent more time walking him round the park etc than a supermarket. Plenty of opportunities for a baby to see other people without masks on.

greenemerald · 24/08/2020 23:03

No, but I did wear one when I took DS 4mo for an appt for the first time today. He did look really confused/worried for that short time, bless him.

unchienandalusia · 24/08/2020 23:04

No

DidSheReallySayThat20 · 24/08/2020 23:50

I've wondered this as I have a 7m old. Then again I rarely take him shopping with me.

My 2yr old however, recently when I said go to the shop and buy me xyz ( her role play shop) she asked for a mask ' to put on her Mouth) ... That's not normal for a 2 Yr old to think like that.

duckme · 24/08/2020 23:54

Yes I do. I've mentioned it a few times because I really think babies and toddlers pick so much up from reading facial expressions and I am concerned that they'll be missing out on the chance to learn to read facial cues.

seayork2020 · 25/08/2020 00:00

No why on earth would it worry them long term? the world is turning into a very weird place lately and I doubt it actually has anything to do with the virus

Grandmi · 25/08/2020 01:03

duckme...agree!

MitziK · 25/08/2020 01:29

My mother was a toddler during WWII.

She said she sort of remembered gas masks, but not anybody wearing them, just that they were there and she occasionally dreamed about them when she was coming down with something, so had a temperature. Considering they looked completely weird compared to a small bit of cloth, I don't think tots will be particularly traumatised by people with a bit of cloth over the mouth and nose, as there will still be plenty of facial cues from the part of the face not covered - and people take them off when they leave shops, get off buses or go home, anyway.

Mindy98 · 25/08/2020 01:35

Of course not.

Mindy98 · 25/08/2020 01:40

Babies acutely pick up facedeness of those they interact with. I'd say they're incredibly likely to respond, understand and react to an adult with the eyes showing emotion if the mouth is covered. Even if a stubborn adult with biased views refuses to.

They hugely and mostly respon to the primary carer. This won't cause huge issues for kids, only blinkered adults.

Are you suggesting we should stop playing peek a boo with them because seeing our face covered momentarily will disturb them!?

BadAbbot · 25/08/2020 02:11

Youngest dc, 4, asked for a mask because she thinks it’s fun and cool. They only ask our of anxiety at age 2 if they’re taught that.

BadAbbot · 25/08/2020 02:12

And I doubt the 2 year old is asking out of anxiety. More out of a desire to fun role play like a kid who’s been in hospital wanting to be a dr or nurse.

Completely normal

BadTattoosAndSmellLikeBooze · 25/08/2020 02:15

Babies round here should be fine. We seem to have a very high number of people who are ‘exempt’ from wearing a mask so plenty of faces to see. 😬

TheClaws · 25/08/2020 04:52

Not at all. I imagine a baby would see a mask as another piece of cloth covering a body part - like clothing, and wouldn't differentiate them from socks or hats IYSWIM. Adjusting to seeing full faces after masks are removed? If baby is accustomed to seeing people in the home environment unmasked, I don't think that would be an issue.

Original poster
waltzingparrot · 25/08/2020 08:27

@Pebblexox Nope. My toddler (19 months) finds it hilarious that are people are wearing masks. She just pulls funny faces at people.
What kind of long terms problems are you expecting?

Not really sure, I just felt really sad that babies are seeing/learning this version of the world.

It's slightly worrying that some health visitors have already seen a general delay in babies.

OP posts:
Camomila · 25/08/2020 08:54

It's slightly worrying that some health visitors have already seen a general delay in babies.

I have found the opposite (complete anecdote!) DS1 did everything at an average age, DS2 (born in Jan) seems a bit ahead. With DS1 I went out for coffee lots/met friends so he spent a lot of time on the bus/car...DS2 does go out but gets a lot more rolling about the playmat time and seems physically ahead of where DS1 was. I met up with a few other mums recently in the park and all our 6m olds were sitting and one was crawling.

DS1 (4) also asks for a mask when he plays shops, I find it reassuring he just sees it as a normal thing - mask, handbag, purse.

When I was a toddler a lot of small DC would wear balaclavas to play out in winter (Italian Alps) - we weren't scared of them, though they were itchy! Think my dad had one too.

Mummabeary · 25/08/2020 09:10

@Firef1y72

I'd be more concerned at the damage we're doing to young babies and young children's immune systems. Even before covid they were sayong that the increase in allergies was possibly because of reduced interaction with germs. Now we have a group of babies and toddlers who haven't been exposed to any of the usual coughs and colds that bolster their immune systems and I wouldn't be surprised if once we go back to normal (because we will at some point) there is a large number of paediatric admissions due to respiratory viruses that in normal circumstances they would have shook off.
I totally agree with this. Whatever we were doing in 2019 seemed to work out well for kids immune systems not suffering from Covid. So what have we now done? Changed all this! It frustrates me when I see media reports "children are thought to suffer less due to recent exposure to other coronaviruses" but then they never go on to make the point that most kids no longer will have had recent exposure to other coronavisuses as they've been kept away from school for 6 months and are living in this new ultrasanitised world!!
x2boys · 25/08/2020 10:12

Children are very adaptable to change ,my 10 year old has severe autism and learning disabilities he's coped remarkably well during the whole pandemic ,despite everything in his world changing .My mum was 3 when the second world war ended

x2boys · 25/08/2020 10:15

Sorry didn't finish ,my mum was 3 when the second world war ended and she only has the vaguest of memories about her Micky mouse gas mask ,which I imagine was rather more daunting to babies/ toddlers than paper mask ,s and brightly coloured fabric masks

NeurotrashWarrior · 25/08/2020 10:21

It's slightly worrying that some health visitors have already seen a general delay in babies.

Eh?!

My baby came on in leaps and bounds being at home. They're not wearing them at nurseries. My son's buggy is outfaceing and doesn't really see me with a mask on or see me anyway in shops.

I'm hardly going to shops anyway?!

NeurotrashWarrior · 25/08/2020 10:23

A lot of people are projecting their own fears and understanding of normality onto their kids.

My two played a hilarious game in the summer where they put their pants on their heads to do some sort of mission.

They love ningago, who all wear masks.

Far more issues with all the pink blue crap going on than a mask that's put on occasionally to travel and go into a shop!

NeurotrashWarrior · 25/08/2020 10:25

My cousin’s HV said anecdotally they have already noticed a general delay in babies born since the pandemic starting smiling and think it may be due to a) not getting outside much so not seeing other people b) the people they do see are wearing masks. That was just the impression of her and her colleagues. I can imagine babies might be slower to smile at strangers.

Or parents who are stressed and not getting much human contact?

Absolute bollocks.

NeurotrashWarrior · 25/08/2020 10:29

It's 2020, how many parents of babies are doing strict GF?

To be fair it was someone in my Nct group 2013.

As someone who teaches preverbal children with autism, constantly attempting to gain eye contact and communication, I found it very unsettling. The child has a lot of social interaction issues, likely to be coincidental however. Wouldn't have helped though.

Which is why I know a mask work briefly now and then isn't an issue.

Where we should wear them in an sen setting I have mixed feelings about; it depends on community cases. But they are going to have to get used to them.

I'm not aware of this level of hysteria in places like japan or where face coverings are normal.

Permanentlypuzzled · 25/08/2020 10:30

When mask wearing finishes and somebody’s child sees my RBF for the first time it’ll traumatise the poor little fucker.
Are masks made with a RBF printed on them?

NeurotrashWarrior · 25/08/2020 10:31

Not really sure, I just felt really sad that babies are seeing/learning this version of the world.

This is projecting. We feel sad. They do not. They are adaptable and accepting.

They may have similar situations in the future. This may never go away. We must work around it.