Wearing a mask permanently in primary school classes does not only have positive effects. It helps to counter the virus, while waiting for this age group to be vaccinated, but it also causes its share of irritants and less quantifiable problems, but not insurmountable.
In the first year of primary school, Vanessa Bernier’s daughter found it increasingly difficult to bear wearing a mask in class. “She has a headache all the time,” explains the mother of the six-and-a-half-year-old girl. She is irritable and very tired. ” The mother even complained that the teacher prevented the students from keeping their water bottles at their desks. “They take breaks during the day to drink, but my daughter can’t drink when she wants. She certainly lacks concentration at the end of the day, and her motivation is waning. ” According to her, her daughter is preventing herself from answering questions and speaking in class because of the mask.
Another phenomenon has also appeared in elementary schools, it is the intimidation linked to the wearing of a mask. Vanessa’s daughter fell victim to it. “When my daughter lowers her mask a bit because she can’t breathe anymore, she gets intimidated by other friends in the class. It’s made serious. ”
Lack of concentration
Simone, Carolyne’s daughter, is in third year at a public school in Granby. She developed much more intense symptoms. “She has a special medical condition which means that she cannot wear the pediatric mask,” explains the mother. She missed a month of school because the school refused to let her wear a homemade mask. We had to wait for the advice of a specialized pediatrician so that she could return to class. ”
Despite this, she still has recurring headaches, and she is isolating herself more and more. She is also demotivated to go to school, she doesn’t speak much in class and her grades are dropping.
“At the beginning of the year, the teacher didn’t let the children drink when they wanted, but I intervened with the principal, and things are better now. Fortunately, the school is quite new. There is air conditioning and a good ventilation system, which is still encouraging. ”
Several parents also pointed out aberrations in the organization of certain schools. Children from several classes and from several levels can be gathered in the same group at the daycare. An operation that could promote a school-wide outbreak.
Minimal impact
Apart from one or two recalcitrant, most children wear the mask without complaining, according to Brigitte Michon, childcare educator in Sorel. “The biggest impact is the difficulty of communication. We must speak louder since our mouth is hidden. They hear us less well. Sometimes you even have to touch their shoulder to let them know that we are talking to them. They listen less and pay less attention. ”
She admits that children’s headaches were more common at the start of the school year, but over time everyone seems to get used to this new reality.
“On the other hand, the proximity is the same, insists Brigitte Michon. We are even closer to them so that they can hear us. They are cuddled as before, because they need comfort and social ties even more. “
Inform and explain
The pediatrician Bernard Delépine confirmed that the mask could cause certain difficulties. “Some children may feel as though they are suffocating, and there may be loss of breathing faculties, as well as headaches from low oxygen and increased carbon dioxide.” However, he found that most quickly get used to this new reality. “There are some who are more intolerant, but there are no generalized side effects.”
For Béatrice, the daughter of Vicky Marchand, wearing a mask quickly became natural. “It has become normal to live with COVID. She is sometimes tanned, but she wears it anyway. When she sees friends who wear it under their nose, or others who don’t, she still finds it unfair. ”
At first reluctant, Béatrice even agreed to be vaccinated. “She’s afraid of needles and she didn’t want to know anything at first. We explained to him that it was a civic duty to be vaccinated to help everyone. She finally agreed and everything went well. ”
Informing and explaining the situation to children, without scaring them, seems to be an approach to follow to obtain their consent, and to help them become responsible in the face of this virus which concerns us all.