If you are a parent or caretaker, you are not only tasked with keeping yourself safe during this pandemic, but also overseeing the little ones under your care. Although only 9.1% of coronavirus cases are from children and they do face a lower chance of requiring hospitalization, it is still our duty to keep them healthy.
Because many children are going back to school, it is more important than ever to prepare them with a COVD-19 PPE kit. Face masks will be an essential part of this kit. But unlike adult masks, they don’t have to be drab and plain. Numerous companies have already released child-friendly face masks suitable for kids of different ages and tastes! As you build your child’s PPE kit, make sure you include these items featured below.
All of the Essentials That Belong in Your Child’s PPE Kit
Don’t forget to pack these items!
The two main essentials that your child’s PPE kit requires are hand sanitizer and several face masks. Both types of items will protect your children as well as any people that they encounter. Along with providing these items in their PPE kit, you should also train your kids on using them properly. If they do not give the hand sanitizer enough time to absorb through the skin or they don’t wear their mask properly, they won’t be as effective.
Hand Sanitizer
Hand sanitizer is necessary for cleaning and washing your hands when there is no soap and water nearby. However, you should keep hand sanitizer away from toddlers. They might misuse it or accidentally get the sanitizer in their eyes. If they lick and ingest it, it won’t poison them. But if they ingest several squirts of hand sanitizer, they might begin vomiting or experiencing seizures. In extreme cases, they could fall into a coma or die.
Child-Sized Face Mask
If you have a young child who is old enough to wear a mask but a bit too small for an adult mask, you can purchase a child-sized face mask. Because most states and schools are requiring children to wear face masks, it is essential that you purchase at least two face masks for your child. According to the CDC, you need to wash these masks on a regular basis, and it will be easier on your schedule to switch or rotate them.
Since the practice of wearing masks has become so widespread, companies have since kept up with the demand by creating child face masks. Not only do these masks fit a smaller face, but they’re much more fun to wear than regular black masks. Disney, Lilly Pulitzer, Gap, and other popular companies offer masks with fun designs for children. It’s easier than ever to find a tie-dye face mask or Cinderella-themed mask for your children.
Right now, researchers are uncertain as to whether children are as susceptible to becoming infected by the coronavirus or can transmit the virus as effectively as adults can. Nonetheless, it is crucial to equip them with hand sanitizer and face masks to protect not only themselves but everyone else in the household as they return to school.
Tips for Keeping Your Child Safe During the Pandemic
Teaching your child to practice social distancing, taking them to their regular appointments, and more are essential for keeping them healthy
Living in the age of a pandemic can be frightening for children. With cases rising everyday and economic uncertainty still being prevalent, they can sense the anxiety and fear that many adults carry. Dealing with online learning or returning to school in a completely new environment can worsen their nerves. In addition to protecting your child from COVID-19 with a PPE kit, you need to remember to take care of their emotional and physical well-being.
Teaching Your Child Safety Practices
Does your child know and understand safety practices for preventing the spread of COVID? It’s crucial that you teach them these practices, such as keeping a six foot distance from others, wearing the mask properly, remembering to not touch their face, and washing their hands regularly. Following these practices yourself can help encourage them to listen and do as you say.
Tips for Making Sure Your Child Wears Their Mask
Encouraging your child to wear a mask might be challenging at first. Since they are not used to wearing one, they might find it uncomfortable and annoying. Here are some tips for making your child’s transition to wearing a mask easier:
- Let your child pick their mask out! Picking out their own mask can be fun and it allows them to find an option that suits their style and makes them feel comfortable.
- Give their favorite stuffed animal a mask to wear with them.
- Practice putting the mask on and removing it with them to help them adjust to the mask.
- Wear your mask around your children whenever you are in public so you can be a good role model to them!
Taking Them to Doctor’s Appointments
Even during the pandemic, you need to take your children to their regular pediatrician visits for health check-ups and vaccines. Before you go, you can ask your physician what steps their office is taking to keep healthy patients away from those who might be sick. If you or your child is experiencing any symptoms that are indicative of COVID-19, you need to notify their provider before you visit.
Keeping track of your child’s growth and development and staying up-to-date on vaccines is an important part of ensuring they grow up to be happy and healthy. Even though there is no vaccine for COVID at the moment, your child still needs to receive vaccines against diseases such as whooping cough, measles, and the flu.
Helping Your Child Cope with School and Staying Up-to-Date on its Respective Guidelines
Online learning can be difficult for your child. Watching your child sitting through endless Zoom meetings can make you wonder how you would do as a student during this unprecedented time. And because teachers are also still adjusting to this new online learning environment, it’s easy for everyone to feel frustrated and annoyed at the current situation.
Luckily, there are multiple steps you can take to help your child stay motivated and get the most out of their online classes:
- Create a separate learning space for your child that is free of clutter so they can focus
- Build a schedule and calendar to help your child stay on top of deadlines
- Help your child organize their papers and notes
- Make sure they keep moving throughout the day to help them re-charge and focus
- Don’t forget to add breaks in between learning for snacks or simply relaxing
- Encourage them and give them positive feedback to help them stay motivated and eager to learn
Making Sure Your Child Stays Happy and Healthy
Having to stay inside and miss out on certain activities can be hard on your child. Make sure they stay occupied with fun and safe activities such as:
- Video chatting with their friends
- Writing letters to family members who can’t visit at the moment
- Playing outside with you or their siblings
- Arts and crafts making a God’s Eye, creating colored sand sculptures, or knitting
- Trying fun and simple science experiments, like making homemade ice cream
What to do if Your Child Can’t Wear a Mask Because…
1. They are under 2-years-old
Children under 2 cannot wear a mask due to safety reasons. To help keep them safe, try to avoid taking them out on errands with you. You can certainly take them on walks around the neighborhood or play with them in your yard, but make sure they keep at least a 6 foot distance from others.
2. They have autism
For some kids with autism, wearing a mask just isn’t going to happen. However, other parents have had success with encouraging their children to wear masks by helping them practice placing it on their face and wearing it just a few minutes everyday.
3. They have a physical disability that prevents them from putting the mask on and taking it off by themselves
People with a physical disability that prevents them from putting on and removing a mask by themselves are exempt from wearing a mask. If your child is a partapart of this group, they may have to stick with online learning for the mean time or take extra precautions to remain distant from others when attending classes.
The world is a scary place right now. Your child relies on you to keep them safe and healthy. One way you can do that is by building an efficient PPE kit for them while also educating them on ways they can stay safe during the pandemic.
What steps have you taken to protect your children during this unprecedented time? Let us know in the comments!
