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[quote=Anonymous]I'm a special ed teacher, and I've worked with some of my families to get their kids, who have diagnoses like autism and anxiety, acclimated to masks.

One thing we'll do is to put on a favorite TV show or other screentime activity, and wear masks while watching.  If a kid needs a break from the mask, we take a break from the mask, but also from the fun activity. Usually, after a while kids will kind of lose themselves in the activity, and you'll see the amount of time they keep it on.  Once a kid can watch a whole episode or movie, then we move on to something that involves a little talking, like baking cookies or playing a board game or building legos while wearing a mask.  Most of my kids get up to wearing it for hours pretty quickly.

I'm also the parent of a child with severe lung disease.  My kid uses a ventilator, so the mask issue is moot (I put one on him but since he's not breathing through his mouth, it's just for show), but I can tell you that there are many kids with major lung issues who have been wearing masks in medical settings for years.  The reality is that most kids, including kids with asthma, and deviated septums, and allergies (some of the excuses I've heard) can wear masks for hours no problem once they're adjusted.

The kids who really can't wear masks, are the kids who were already getting pretty significant amounts of support, whether that's intensive therapy for severe anxiety disorders, or kids with CP who don't have the motor skills to remove their masks, or kids with multiple disabilities and communication challenges who don't understand what is being asked.  [/quote]

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