Six months into the COVID-19 pandemic, face masks are part of our daily lives. While masks are one of the best ways to combat the spread of the virus, some kids may have trouble wearing them mask or keeping them on.
Here are five tips parents can use to help kids wear a mask. This information is appearing in a segment now airing in physical and virtual physician office waiting rooms across the country:
1. Let them pick out their mask.
Give a child a sense of ownership and pride of their mask by letting them choose the color, pattern and/or theme. No matter what a child is into, chances are there’s a mask for it!
2. Teach them how to wear a mask.
Make sure that the mask covers a child’s nose, mouth and chin. The mask should have a snug yet comfortable fit to keep fidgeting at bay.
3. Help them practice wearing their mask at home.
Having kids wear a mask in a comfortable, safe space like the home will get them used to the idea and feel comfortable keeping their mask on in public. Encourage a child to wear a mask for small periods of time, such as during playtime.
4. Give them praise or small rewards for wearing their mask.
Provide positive reinforcement to help kids keep up the great work wearing their masks. Tell them they’re doing a great job and perhaps consider small tokens of appreciation such as a sweet treat, inexpensive toy or a few extra minutes of play time.
5. Be a mask role model
Parents need to wear their masks just as they are asking children to do. Explain to children why it’s important that everyone (themselves included!) is wearing a mask right now—to protect ourselves and the people we love.
PatientPoint Can Help
We see it as our duty at PatientPoint to deliver these and other imperative health messages to patients at key touchpoints along the healthcare journey. That’s why we’ve made this and all of our COVID-19 content available to all healthcare providers to download for use in their communications, websites and social media channels to reach patients wherever they are and whenever they need support.
Contact us to learn more about how we can help you educate and engage your patients during COVID-19 and beyond.