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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Sorry to revive an old thread, but I thought OP and others would be interested as the EU Commission is attempting to study OP’s exact question.

https://op.europa.eu/en/publication-detail/-/publication/c14645b2-24f8-11ec-bd8e-01aa75ed71a1/language-en/format-PDF/source-233017740

In December 2020, French researchers surveyed close to 600 ECEC professionals working in crèches (ECEC settings for children aged 0 to 3) to gather information on the impact of masks on children based on the staff’s observations206:

 The first conclusions of the survey relate to the impact of masks on language development (understanding, producing and listening to a language). Interactions are of a poorer quality with the mask on; wearing a mask may have a negative impact on children as they rely on watching the adults’ mouths and faces to produce language through imitation. Without visual support, children have more difficulties understanding the ECEC staff’s instructions or identifying the person who is talking to them. Without the masks, the children’s attention improves significantly.
 Thesecondsetofconclusionsisaboutchildren’sadaptability.Childrenareadaptable; overall, wearing the mask has not drastically impacted their emotional and social reactions. However, children seem to show more signs of worry or to cry more easily when adults are masked. Children can encounter difficulties in recognising adults with the mask on and they often try to take the masks off the adult’s face. Some children seem to be smiling less when ECEC staff wears masks. Around a third of children do not react to ECEC staff’s smiles under their masks, whereas some ECEC practitioners mentioned that children recognise smiles under the mask and can smile back. When the ECEC staff takes off their masks, 80% of children start smiling.
 Thethirdlistofconclusionsisaboutmasks’impactonECECpractice.ECECstaffreport finding it physically uncomfortable to wear masks all day. Masks prevent them from properly carrying out some of their regular activities, such as singing, running, or reading to children. Therefore, ECEC practitioners may have to speak louder or modulate their voices to convey emotions better. Communication can become more

difficult between ECEC staff or with families because of the increased noise level. Finally, ‘inclusive’ masks (with a transparent shield covering the mouth) present some limitations: they can be uncomfortable to wear as they gather mist and droplets and become foggy. Overall, ECEC staff indicated that their working conditions worsened during the pandemic.
All in all, the survey highlights that ECEC staff are split regarding the consequences on children. On the one hand, children seem to have adapted to the situation. On the other hand, the masks have impacted their development.[/quote]

OP, for an infant I would hire a nanny or stay home with the child to avoid harms of masking caregiver.[/quote]

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