Helping Children Wear Face Masks During COVID 19

Having difficulty helping children wear a face mask during the COVID 19 era? Whether you have a child with a disability,
or a child without a disability who needs some extra support, here are a few tips to help your child be successful at
wearing a mask!

1. Be an example for mask wearing. A peer model to show a child how to wear a mask will be helpful in the
beginning and helpful as time goes on.
2. Start with small increments of time, then build on that. If a child is uncomfortable with mask wearing, start with
ten seconds, then give praise and positive reinforcement for the time they were able to do. As a child masters an
amount of time, add more until you meet the desired amount of time needed to wear the mask.
3. Use a social story to help the child understand how to wear a face mask. Pair short, simple sentences with a
photo of the appropriate behavior and process. Before wearing a mask, use the social story to set up what the
child is supposed to do so they understand the expectations. (See picture below)
4. Utilize “first/then” statements. Use a positive reinforcer as a reward after wearing the mask for the desired
amount of time. For example, if a child loves a Spider-Man figure, say “First we wear our mask for 30 seconds,
then you can play with Spider-Man for 3 minutes!”
5. Use cue cards as visual reminders for wearing a mask. Take a picture of the child wearing their mask and when it
is time to wear the mask, use the picture cue card to show the child what they are supposed to do.
6. Consider trying different kinds of masks for your child. If the elastic around the ear is bothersome, try a mask
that ties behind their head. If a nose piece is uncomfortable, try a mask without one.
7. Let your child wear a mask while doing something fun at home. This will help normalize mask wearing and
associate it with a positive activity.
8. When you reach a point where a child can wear a mask for a longer period, practice by going out into public for
a short period of time. Set clear expectations before leaving and use verbal reinforcements. Don’t forget that
visuals play a big part in understanding as well, so use your visual cue card.

Resources:
https://www.yahoo.com/lifestyle/helping-child-autism-tolerate-wearing-034012517.html
https://www.hopebridge.com/blog/tips-to-help-children-with-autism-wear-face-masks
https://www.checkupnewsroom.com/helping-children-with-autism-adapt-to-wearing-face-masks/
https://theautismhelper.com/helping-kids-wear-a-face-mask-covid-19/
https://sacoronavirus.co.za/2020/07/16/duma-says-wash-your-hands-wear-a-mask/ (Duma Says:…)
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1wnuFk5gAkKac1aThUtuoRojXiUIn18Kb/view (Wearing A Mask social story)

This project is funded through a grant with the TN Department of Human Services and Signal Centers, Inc