Coronavirus Update: Talking To Kids About The Importance Of Wearing Masks Amid COVID-19 Pandemic
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) - When you head outside, we see all sorts of face masks, which is easy for adults, but can be tough for kids.
CBS2's Cindy Hsu finds out how families are coping.
Hsu received lots of pictures showing kids doing the right thing, wearing face masks as parents do their best.
"She doesn't like it but we're handling it pretty well," a Washington Heights father named Rich said, referring to his daughter Sophia.
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The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says masks of any kind should never be used on children younger than 2 because of the risk of suffocation. But the CDC says it's safe for kids 2 and older who don't have breathing problems, and it's best to go with a cloth face covering made of cotton.
The Pinkas family lives in White Plains, and the boys - ages 7 and 5 - are trying.
LINK: How To Make Your Own Mask At Home
"We'll have to keep practicing and have to adjust them to be more comfortable for them and make them fit better," said Stacey Pinkas.
"The hardest part is getting it around their ears and having it stay on because their ears are so small," said Edan Pinkas.
Some families are making their own and getting very creative. The more fun the design, the more likely the kids will wear them.
"I went online a few days ago to try and find kids-sized masks and things that were fun, like Pokémon, or things that they would like," Stacey said.
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So how do you explain to children why they need to wear a mask? Dr. Jamie Howard, a clinical psychologist at the Child Mind Institute, says using an analogy can help.
LINK: Tips For Parents Talking To Kids About Coronavirus
"For example, whenever we go on our scooter or our bike, we wear a helmet to keep us safe," Dr. Howard said. "You'll do the same thing with masks. This is really important to keep yourself safe and to keep other people safe for right now."
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Dr. Howard says it's important to explain these things calmly because kids pick up on adults' anxiety.
"If they decide those masks mean 'I'm in danger and my family's in danger,' that's when it starts having more lasting impacts," she said.
And a reminder: Even with a mask on, everyone - including kids - needs to practice social distancing.
