05May
Why Children Under 2 Should Not Wear Masks?
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Why Should My Infant Not Wear a Mask?
- Baby’s airways are smaller, so breathing through a mask is even harder on them.
- Using a mask on an infant may increase the risk of suffocation. Masks are harder to breathe through. A snug fit will give them less access to air, and a loose fit will not provide much protection.
- If they are having are hard time breathing, infants are unable to take the mask off themselves and could suffocate.
- Older infants or young toddlers are not likely to keep the mask on and will likely try to remove it, as well as touch their face more.
- There are no N95 masks approved for young children.
How Can I Protect My Infant?
- Limit exposure and avoid unnecessary public contact.
- If going out is essential, cover the infant carrier (NOT THE INFANT) with a blanket, which helps protect the baby, but still gives them the ability to breathe comfortably. Do not leave the blanket on the carrier in the car or at any time when the baby and carrier are not in direct view. Check on baby often and DO NOT LEAVE STROLLER COVERED IN HOT WEATHER!
- Keep hands clean. Frequent hand washing with soap and water for 20 seconds is optimal, but hand sanitizer, with at least 60% alcohol is the next best substitute.
- Clean frequently-touched surfaces such as doorknobs, handles, light switches and electronics often.
- Teach older children to avoid touching their faces.
- If a parent cannot leave the young infant at home and is pressed to go into the public, keep the outing short and always follow the 6 feet distancing rule.
- Remember to always wash your hands (and any siblings hands) as soon as you return home.
If you are breastfeeding and have symptoms of illness, you can continue to breastfeed but in order to decrease the chance of spreading the illness to your infant:
- Make sure you wash your hands before touching your baby.
- Wear a mask when holding and/or breastfeeding your baby.
- If you are pumping, wash your hands before touching the pump or bottle parts and then clean all parts after use by washing parts that are washable with hot soapy water or using disinfectant wipes on parts that are not washable.
Resources: Nationwide Children
