How to Help Your Little One Wear Masks During COVID-19
Wearing masks has quickly become a norm in today’s world due to COVID-19, this may feel odd for adults, and especially the little ones. Facial masks are not required for children under 2 years old, but that leaves a good amount of kiddos that may not understand how to adapt and feel comfortable with their mask. Here are a few things to consider when preparing for the necessary food shopping, or errand;
There are a few reasons your child may have difficulty wearing the mask
Anxiety - the sensation of airflow is different and may feel like they are suffocating. This is tricky because masks that protect your child will have a thicker threshold for them to breathe into.
Sensory processing - the feeling of the mask on their face and ears may cause discomfort.
Visual input - If your child wears glasses, they may fog up, and the mask reduces the visual field for looking down.
Smell - I think we’re all a little more conscious of our breath when it’s our only source of air.
Here are some tips
To address the anxiety I would recommend a social story (example provided at the end of the article)
Show pictures with family and friends with masks
Talk calmly but directly about the importance of the mask prior to outing
Play with a stuffed animal and have them putting the mask on them
You may use a visual timer at home to increase time with mask on
Don’t force the mask!
Brush teeth before leaving the house, or have a mouth freshener handy
If your child wears glasses, he may benefit from putting a piece of tissue between bridge of nose and mask to reduce fogging up
If you’re handy with sewing, you can sew buttons on a hat or headband as a secondary option to looping at the ears. Some are available online.
When picking a mask for your child- opt for a soft (possibly cotton) fabric, allow them to choose the fabric if available.
Add the mask to a costume! Make it fun with a halloween costume you might have handy and wear other parts of the costume. Maybe even add a piece of candy for a temporary spring halloween.
Some kids may be adverse to smells, but you can try adding a calming essential oil to a small piece of cloth to place inside the mask
Use of a fidget may help to keep hands busy and redirect focus on something else
For those with medical conditions like Epilepsy, seeing changes in facial expression is essential for distinctive pre-seizure facial expressions. For those children they may be medically exempt by a physician. There are also some masks sold with clear sections at the mouth if that is what their parents prefer.
For those on the Autism Spectrum or with Sensory Processing Disorders, children may have an especially difficult time with masks. This is due to increased sensitivities for the way their body processes clothes and new experiences. The important thing is to not force the mask, try some of the tips above to help transition, start with the social story, have them play with a stuffed animal to put the mask on them.
Social Story by Autism Little Learners- https://drive.google.com/file/d/1B2FEF1DTXpmgH8ZL79Vg7E_Bu7ZOkB0A/view
If you have more questions, we are always here to help. Email us at smplytherapy@gmail.com or book a session!
What is Occupational Therapy and When do you need it?
Occupational therapy (OT) teaches people of all ages how to adapt to everyday life.
True of False? - Occupational Therapists help people find jobs.
This is absolutely false.
I’m Kristin, Founder of SmplyTherapy, Welcome to my page and blog. Having been in the field of Occupational Therapy for many years, I’m very aware that there are many people who do not know exactly what Occupational Therapy is. If you’re here, you must be curious if Occupational Therapy is right for you or your loved one. First, I want to take you through some basics about Occupational Therapy.
What is Occupational Therapy
Occupational therapy (OT) teaches people of all ages how to adapt to everyday life. According to The American Occupational Therapy Association, Occupational therapy is the only profession that helps people across the lifespan to do the things they want and need to do through the therapeutic use of daily activities (occupations). Occupational therapy practitioners enable people of all ages to live life to its fullest by helping them promote health, and prevent—or live better with—injury, illness, or disability.
Common occupational therapy interventions include:
Helping children with difficulties or behavioral problems to participate fully in school and in social settings
Assisting people who are recovering from injury to regain everyday skills
Providing support for older adults experiencing physical and cognitive changes
Who are Occupational Therapy Practitioners?
Occupational therapy practitioners (also may be called Occupational Therapists or OTs) are healthcare professionals with a holistic perspective who uses evidence-based practice that is deeply rooted in science and research to promote a patients' functional capability to accomplish their daily routines.
OTs have vast training and understanding of how to treat the whole body by combining neurological principles, anatomical / physiological concepts, and psychological perspectives.
How does Occupational Therapy work?
Typically, Occupational Therapy services will involve:
Individualized evaluation in which a client’s needs are assessed. The evaluation may take place in your home, workplace or a child’s school
Therapy plan and goal setting designed for you (or your children’s) needs and limitations
Customized intervention to improve the person’s ability to perform daily activities and reach the goals
Outcomes evaluation to determine is goals are being met and / or make changes to the customized plan
Who needs Occupational Therapy?
Often times, people simply do not receive the help they need in order to improve their lives because they are not sure what they need.
I speak with many young or first time mothers who may recognize their young children are more fussy than others but do not know where to go to seek help other than their pediatrician. Often, the parents may be referred to an Occupational Therapist who can help to evaluate and get the proper support for their children. Occupational therapy has been known to help children with ADHD, juvenile arthritis, and autism.
However, Occupational Therapy isn’t just for children. Anyone who struggles to do everyday tasks may benefit from it. If you have any of the health issues below, you may consult your doctor and see if occupational therapy can help you:
Arthritis and chronic pain
Stroke
Brain injury
Joint replacement
Spinal cord injury
Low vision
Alzheimer’s disease
Poor balance
Cancer
Diabetes
Multiple sclerosis
Cerebral palsy
Mental health or behavior issues
You can also schedule a consultation with me to see if Occupational Therapy is right for you.