Errands with Maskless ASD child?

[Anonymous]

All the pps who think its so easy to find a sitter for a child with ASD, have never tried!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why aren't the in home providers working with him to wear a mask? If he had to wear glasses, they would work on it. I would buy a whole bunch of different types of masks.

That being said I wouldn't even notice if a 3 year old wasn't wearing a mask unless he or she looked 5. Hopefully your 3 year old isn't tall.

I said in an earlier post that the therapists have been working on it. No luck, though, which I'm told is common for that age. It's not even unique to ASD kids.

The WHO specifically recommends against mask orders for kids younger than 5.

But our mandates do specify a mask after two. I don’t take my child on any errands because of this. You can do it, too.

If you're going to be pedantic, the MoCo mask order doesn't require a mask for kids with developmental problems.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Some stores still do seniors and people with disabilities hours. Maybe go during those hours?

No! Don’t take a maskless child to senior hour! This is a terrible suggestion!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, ADA type allowances have clauses where an exception doesn’t have to be made for someone’s disability if that exception will put someone else in harms way. So a store could make you leave, even if your child won’t wear a mask. I would not bring him because that will happen eventually to you, and it will be upsetting to both of you.

Also- your son is having in home therapy sessions so he is being exposed to people, indoors, outside of his family. He could easily be an asymptomatic covid carrier. It’s irresponsible to bring him unmasked into a store. If you said neither of you ever left the house or socialized with anyone , indoors or out, I’d be more on your side, but what you are contemplating doing is dangerous for your community.

I'm less concerned about store employees. The MoCo order includes an exception for kids that can't developmentally wear a mask, and I think the major stores (Target, grocery stores) have policies that are no more restrictive than the county (e.g., Target includes a similar exception with their mask policy).

So I'm more looking for things I can reasonably do to try to make other customers more comfortable, while also recognizing I have a right to be there with my child, too.

OP, you do not have a right to be in a store with a maskless child during the pandemic anymore than you have the right to drive with him without a seatbelt/car seat.

Please make arrangements to do what you have to do without him. A sitter IS in the cards for you.

The pp here is certainly mistaken. Driving without a car seat violates state law. Going to the store with an mask-less ASD child violates neither the state not local mask order, and doesn't violate most store policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some stores still do seniors and people with disabilities hours. Maybe go during those hours?

No! Don’t take a maskless child to senior hour! This is a terrible suggestion!

OP here. Yeah, I wouldn't do that. Realistically I think it would be fine, but I know those people are going to be particularly freaked out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you running errands right now? Amazon prime should be your best friend. Target delivers free for orders $35 and up. And many places are going back to doing curbside. Our kids have not been on a single errand with us since last March! Either one of us stays home, but most delivered or curbside. Even prescriptions can be brought out to the car.

We do that a lot, although mostly with Amazon. Using Shipt has been a disaster almost every time we've tried to use it. The stores' inventory systems are simply not good enough to keep track of what they actually have, so almost every time we've used it I've had to go to store anyways.

I know a lot of people use those delivery services, though. I don't understand how they do it without always running into missing items.

So you deal with the inconvenience of the store being out of something. Rather than exposing other people to your maskless child.

OP, you need to keep your child at home if he can’t wear a mask. It’s not his fault or yours that he can’t tolerate a mask. But you can’t take him into stores with you for your own convenience when he’s not wearing a mask.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why are you running errands right now? Amazon prime should be your best friend. Target delivers free for orders $35 and up. And many places are going back to doing curbside. Our kids have not been on a single errand with us since last March! Either one of us stays home, but most delivered or curbside. Even prescriptions can be brought out to the car.

We do that a lot, although mostly with Amazon. Using Shipt has been a disaster almost every time we've tried to use it. The stores' inventory systems are simply not good enough to keep track of what they actually have, so almost every time we've used it I've had to go to store anyways.

I know a lot of people use those delivery services, though. I don't understand how they do it without always running into missing items.

I'm the pp. Inventory issues have gotten better. Really- we have hardly run any errands in person since march. We do banking online. Groceries get delivered, and sometimes we don't get exactly what we need but we make it work and try re-ordering that item the next week. Prescriptions curbside. I really don't understand what you need to get? Can you be specific? We have ordered toilet paper, paper towels, soap, detergent, vitamins, contact lense cleaner - ALL ONLINE! I don't wait until I have one roll of paper towels left to order more, so I never run into the issue of "needing" to run out to get them. Think of all the things you might need in the next month and put them in a Target cart, then it will ship for free. If they can't deliver something, try putting it in your grocery delivery. Holiday gifts and wrapping paper all ordered online. I am someone who never did as much online ordering pre-covid- I liked going places in person. But we have been able to make it work without going inside places for months- you can too!

I really think you are making this harder for yourself!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some stores still do seniors and people with disabilities hours. Maybe go during those hours?

No! Don’t take a maskless child to senior hour! This is a terrible suggestion!

OP here. Yeah, I wouldn't do that. Realistically I think it would be fine, but I know those people are going to be particularly freaked out.

Boy OP, I feel for you. You have all the anxiety-ridden, mask-shaming, know-nothings coming on here, not even answering your question. I am a 50-something mom with older teenagers, so I cannot put myself in your shoes. But I would not give you and/or your child a second glance if he wasn't wearing a mask. In fact, it is your right to take him out without a mask so you can do what you need to do. I guess you'll just have to be tough and ignore those who stare you down in judgement. It's their problem, not yours. Best of luck and here's hoping we will all be in a better place soon.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Unfortunately, ADA type allowances have clauses where an exception doesn’t have to be made for someone’s disability if that exception will put someone else in harms way. So a store could make you leave, even if your child won’t wear a mask. I would not bring him because that will happen eventually to you, and it will be upsetting to both of you.

Also- your son is having in home therapy sessions so he is being exposed to people, indoors, outside of his family. He could easily be an asymptomatic covid carrier. It’s irresponsible to bring him unmasked into a store. If you said neither of you ever left the house or socialized with anyone , indoors or out, I’d be more on your side, but what you are contemplating doing is dangerous for your community.

I'm less concerned about store employees. The MoCo order includes an exception for kids that can't developmentally wear a mask, and I think the major stores (Target, grocery stores) have policies that are no more restrictive than the county (e.g., Target includes a similar exception with their mask policy).

So I'm more looking for things I can reasonably do to try to make other customers more comfortable, while also recognizing I have a right to be there with my child, too.

No but it violates common decency. She’s taking the child with her to Target and Safeway because it’s more convenient for her than ordering from Shipt and dealing with substitutions. That’s not ok.

OP, you do not have a right to be in a store with a maskless child during the pandemic anymore than you have the right to drive with him without a seatbelt/car seat.

Please make arrangements to do what you have to do without him. A sitter IS in the cards for you.

The pp here is certainly mistaken. Driving without a car seat violates state law. Going to the store with an mask-less ASD child violates neither the state not local mask order, and doesn't violate most store policies.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:All the pps who think its so easy to find a sitter for a child with ASD, have never tried!

It’s not easy but it’s absolutely doable. I have an ADS son and we have a great sitter. Ask your therapists for referrals.

[Anonymous]

OP not to hijack your post but I have a 3 year old about to get an ASD diagnosis. To those saying just get a sitter, that is near impossible with covid and an ASD child. My question is can you tell me more about the in-home therapy? My dd’s city services switched to virtual so that is useless with a non-verbal child. I’m paying OOP for speech therapy but feel the clock ticking and time speeding on and leaving my dd behind. At this point I’m willing to pay OOP for anything that might help.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some stores still do seniors and people with disabilities hours. Maybe go during those hours?

No! Don’t take a maskless child to senior hour! This is a terrible suggestion!

OP here. Yeah, I wouldn't do that. Realistically I think it would be fine, but I know those people are going to be particularly freaked out.

Boy OP, I feel for you. You have all the anxiety-ridden, mask-shaming, know-nothings coming on here, not even answering your question. I am a 50-something mom with older teenagers, so I cannot put myself in your shoes. But I would not give you and/or your child a second glance if he wasn't wearing a mask. In fact, it is your right to take him out without a mask so you can do what you need to do. I guess you'll just have to be tough and ignore those who stare you down in judgement. It's their problem, not yours. Best of luck and here's hoping we will all be in a better place soon.

Not saying I agree with all of the responses, but OP specifically posted in this forum to see how much grief she would get and it appears that the answer is "a lot." OP got an answer to her question.

[Anonymous]

I have both a neurotypical child and a child with severe ASD. Neither has been in a store since lockdown in March because I order everything online and it gets delivered or brought curbside. It isn’t safe for them or me to be unmasked indoors, in fact, it would be catastrophic if our ASD child got Covid-19. Please try to figure out another way to get these necessary items without exposing your child and household.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some stores still do seniors and people with disabilities hours. Maybe go during those hours?

No! Don’t take a maskless child to senior hour! This is a terrible suggestion!

OP here. Yeah, I wouldn't do that. Realistically I think it would be fine, but I know those people are going to be particularly freaked out.

Boy OP, I feel for you. You have all the anxiety-ridden, mask-shaming, know-nothings coming on here, not even answering your question. I am a 50-something mom with older teenagers, so I cannot put myself in your shoes. But I would not give you and/or your child a second glance if he wasn't wearing a mask. In fact, it is your right to take him out without a mask so you can do what you need to do. I guess you'll just have to be tough and ignore those who stare you down in judgement. It's their problem, not yours. Best of luck and here's hoping we will all be in a better place soon.

Stop with the “your rights” crap. We wear masks to protect ourselves and others. Why do you think your right to go maskless trump’s my right to live? Why does your child’s inability to wear a mask trump a store-employees need to work to feed his/her children?

OP, I have to keep my immune-suppressed child home. You can, too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Some stores still do seniors and people with disabilities hours. Maybe go during those hours?

No! Don’t take a maskless child to senior hour! This is a terrible suggestion!

OP here. Yeah, I wouldn't do that. Realistically I think it would be fine, but I know those people are going to be particularly freaked out.

Boy OP, I feel for you. You have all the anxiety-ridden, mask-shaming, know-nothings coming on here, not even answering your question. I am a 50-something mom with older teenagers, so I cannot put myself in your shoes. But I would not give you and/or your child a second glance if he wasn't wearing a mask. In fact, it is your right to take him out without a mask so you can do what you need to do. I guess you'll just have to be tough and ignore those who stare you down in judgement. It's their problem, not yours. Best of luck and here's hoping we will all be in a better place soon.

Stop with the “your rights” crap. We wear masks to protect ourselves and others. Why do you think your right to go maskless trump’s my right to live? Why does your child’s inability to wear a mask trump a store-employees need to work to feed his/her children?

OP, I have to keep my immune-suppressed child home. You can, too.

You know what else you need to do? Get some anti-anxiety mediation and gain a better understanding of what kind of risk a maskless 3-year-old poses to you or anybody else. Your irrational fear does not negate a mother's right simply to run errands with her 3-year-old son. Get a grip.