Children's masks: beautiful models and what is important when buying

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Allegations can be read and videos to be seen on social networks that want to testify that wearing mouth and nose protection is dangerous.

Yes, that children have already died because they suffered carbon dioxide poisoning from wearing a mask.

Pediatrician Burkhard Rodeck, General Secretary of the German Society for Child and Adolescent Medicine (DGKJ for short), gives the all-clear: “This is fake news that has not withstood a fact check.

Actually this is a crime, because it makes children feel insecure, the psychological effect can be immense. ”As long as children do not have chronic illnesses, says Rodeck, wearing a respirator is harmless.

It is simply wrong that a face covering could lead to a CO2 build-up or a lack of oxygen.

Rodeck explains: “The airways consist of the parts of the lungs that directly participate in gas exchange, the so-called alveoli.

The larger air-carrying parts of the lungs and the airways, i.e. the bronchi, the windpipe and the nasopharynx, do not take part in the gas exchange; they are called dead space.

We have this physiologically anyway, the mask only increases it minimally.

However, the denser a mouth and nose covering, the greater the dead space.

The FFP2 mask is the tightest, but we don't recommend it for children anyway. "

Normal everyday masks or surgical disposable masks are so thin that they only insignificantly increase the so-called dead space, i.e. lead to increased work of breathing.

That simply means that you breathe faster when you are exerting yourself - be it running 1000 meters, climbing stairs or romping around in the playground.

"But that's not tragic, there is no danger to healthy children," says the specialist.

What he considers unreasonable, however, is the non-stop wearing of a face mask: “They are necessary in the pandemic, no question.

Nevertheless, mask breaks are also necessary, after all, these are not comfort items.

We know that younger children are also infected, but also that they are less infectious.

The super spreaders are not the schools - as the Hamburg School Senator Ties Rabe recently demonstrated. "

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In general, Rodeck considers it reasonable to wear face-to-face masks from the age of eleven, but even then not continuously from morning to night.

But in the meantime, a mask is also required for younger children.

“Primary school children are a special age group, they cannot wear the correct mask as naturally as older children.

For this to work at all, they have to be carefully guided.

And should they complain of problems that arise while wearing masks, they should be given a mask break. ”Rodeck advises younger children to be relaxed and to handle it in such a way that they also accept it.

The pediatrician would recommend a mask break every 45 minutes for young and old alike: “Of course, you have to keep an eye on the spread of the infection and see how you can ensure that everyone is not sent into the break together without a respirator.” Regular breaks help out loud Rodeck also said that concentration and performance did not go all the way downhill during lessons.

In addition, the mental acceptance of face protection must be practiced in families: “If you live masks as normal, they will also be perceived as normal by the children and not questioned.

The psychological effect is then completely different, ”says the Secretary General of the DGKJ.

It is often criticized that communication in class is disrupted by wearing a mask.

A discussion that, according to Rodeck, is very polarizing, but unhelpful.

“Of course, a mask hides half of the face so that the mouth cannot be seen, the lips cannot be read.

These are disadvantages that children may actually suffer from, no question about it. ”On the other hand, he emphasizes, surveys among schoolchildren have shown that they are more bothered by wearing the face coverings and that it gets too hot underneath.

“We adults often anticipate problems in children that they do not express themselves in this form.

Of course, that doesn't mean that these problems don't actually exist in individual cases. "

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But the everyday mask is only one part of the so-called AHA rule: "Nobody talks about hand washing in school - that would be the discussion that I would have more urgently, then that is extremely important, as is keeping your distance." The smaller the children, all the more they must be encouraged to use face masks and hygiene rules correctly.

Also, many do not know that they have to change their mouth and nose protection at the latest when it is soaked and thus loses its effectiveness.

Usually there is talk of a change after four hours, but Rodeck would rather make that dependent on the conditions: “If a child just sits quietly in class, a mask can last longer than four hours.

If, on the other hand, I make an effort, I am physically active, but I fight through it much faster. ”So parents should definitely pack several face covers for their children for the school day.

And what exactly should you pay attention to when buying children's masks?

On the one hand, that they fit: face covers that can be adjusted to the ear straps using rubber rings are ideal.

According to Rodeck, a sewn-in nasal splint is not absolutely necessary: ​​"The accuracy of fit increases, of course, but such everyday or DIY masks are helpful when the droplet infection spreads even without a nose clip." The DGKJ recommends two-layer cotton masks that are at least 60 degrees can be washed so that they can be reused.

“The denser, the better they are.

Single-layer masks are like wearing a scarf in front of your face and don't do much. ”They should also look chic, Rodeck continues.

“When the masked princess or masked batman is proclaimed in elementary school, all children wear masks with joy and compete to see who has the most beautiful.

You just have to be careful not to swap them for one another.

Nice children's masks for after-shopping:

Source: SOIL

Face coverings in a three-pack from Boden, around 12 euros, via bodendirect.de *

Source: etsy.com

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Children's mask with Lego minifigure face,

Source: WHITE STUFF

Christmas face covers from White Stuff, for 7 euros each, via whitestuff.com *

Source: Happy Socks

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Face masks with adjustable straps from Happy Socks, each for 12 euros, via happysocks.com *

Source: shopdisney.de

Star Wars to Marvel: Disney's mouth and nose covers are available in different sizes, four-packs of 22 euros each, from shopdisney.de

Sports mask from Under Armor, order for children in size XS / S, 30 euros each, via underarmour.de *

Source: rbb

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Two-layer cotton face mask with motifs of Sandman, Pittiplatsch and his friends, for 8 euros each, via rbb-online-shop.de

Source: Steiff

Mouth and nose mask in Steiff design, individually for 7 euros, in a double pack for 20 euros, via steiff.com

Source: Little Boar

Reversible breathing mask by Little Boar, for children up to six years of age, for 15 euros each, via littleboar.de

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Source: Mara Mea

The children's mouth and nose mask by Mara Mea can be adjusted using a rubber band with a loose knot, for 13 euros each, via maramea.com

Source: Mimi and Lula

Masks by Mimi and Lula, for children from three to ten years, each 13 euros, via littleboar.de

Source: isko vital

Four-pack Christmas face protection made of

Source: Oui

Three-layer mask duo for mother and child by Oui, turns out to be quite large, around 15 euros, via oui.com

Source: Koziol

Dishwasher-safe community mask by Koziol, adjustable to any head size with a rubber band, for 20 euros each, via koziol-shop.de

Source: Hey Soho

Hey Soho's “Kiss” masks are cut quite tight, so they are also suitable for older children, 17 euros, via hey-soho.com

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