Healthy Indoors | 39
Back to school? In-person? Will it last?
T
here's much we don't know about how our fami-
lies will be impacted now that Covid has brought
its extreme health challenges into our schools. But
one thing is for sure: many of the nation's class-
rooms will be full of students—big and small—wearing masks.
As parents, we fight against air pollution to protect our
community for the sake of our children's health. Now we have a
new layer to add to our parent protecting powers: helping our
children understand that wearing masks at school saves lives.
Most of us know the drill. Wear a mask. Protect yourself.
Protect others. And as Dr. Andrew Adesman, the chief of de-
velopmental and behavioral pediatrics at the Cohen Children's
Medical Center in New York puts it in the New York Times,
"Masks are a 'tangible reminder' that life right now is different
from before the pandemic, but masks are also 'one important
step toward trying to approach some semblance of normalcy.'"
Now it's time for our kids' mask-wearing task to be
put to the test of protecting themselves and others.
The CDC provides good guidance for the use of cloth face
coverings in school. Unfortunately, the "unintended consequenc-
es" of mask-wearing in classrooms could put parents to the test.
Schools should have a plan for "stigma, discrimination or bullying"
that may arise due to wearing or not wearing a face mask, as
not all families agree with school policies about face masks. To
deal with this, CDC suggests parents, caregivers, and guardians
should be directed to their guidance on cloth face coverings.
So, what kind of masks do children need? Health
experts conclude cloth masks are fine for chil-
dren. What matters most is the fit.
It's recommended to get or make face coverings specifical-
ly sized for children. A mask fits when it covers the nose and
mouth and secures under the chin. For young children, ear loops
are easier to maneuver than ties. The American Association of
Pediatrics says pleated masks fit little ones best and recommends
