COVID-19 cases in children spike following return to school and daycare, health experts say
As children return to school and day care, doctors said they're noticing not only a spike in child cases, but also in family members who have had interaction with kids when they get home from these locations.
The CDC recommends everyone 2 years and older to wear a cloth face covering, excluding anyone who has trouble breathing.
Children under the age of 2 are advised not to wear a mask because of risk of suffocation.
Justin, an ABC13 viewer, told Eyewitness News that his 3-year-old daughter, Madelyn, doesn't wear her mask for more than five minutes before trying to take it off.
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This is a problem many parents face.
"Children like to be in control of things," said Dr. Helene Sheena, a pediatrician at the Kelsey-Seybold Clinic in Tanglewood. "We tell them they have to wear pants when they go to school and they are like, 'I don't want to wear pants,' but they have to. So, make it sort of that thing where you know we have to wear a mask, and this is why. We want to protect ourselves, and we want to protect grandma."
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Dr. Sheena shared the following tips:
- Practice makes perfect: practice wearing the mask for a few minutes when you're at home and build up to longer amounts of time
- Let your kids pick their own mask. Give them a mask option with their favorite color, favorite character or a theme they love
- Pay attention to their complaints. If your child says the mask hurts, it could be because the mask doesn't fit
