5 fun face shields kids will actually want to wear
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Children have already started going back to school in some areas of the country, and that raises a big question for parents: How can I keep my kids safe? Face masks are a given for many families, but face shields are increasingly being considered.
While the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not currently recommend the use of face shields to protect against COVID-19, the country’s leading infectious disease experts do. “If you have goggles or an eye shield, you should use it,” Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said during an interview with ABC News last week. Fauci said that face shields aren’t "universally recommended," but that people should consider wearing them if they "really want perfect protection of the mucosal surfaces." (Mucosal surfaces include the nose, mouth, and eyes.)
Dr. Deborah Birx, the White House coronavirus response coordinator, has also said face shields could be helpful. “The thing about the face shields…we think that could protect the individuals and that it would decrease the ability for them to touch their eyes and spread the virus as well as those droplets coming towards them,” she said on Fox & Friends.
While experts say face shields can be good for adults, they can also be helpful for children. “Face shields are good for kids when they are in close quarters to prevent transmission of the virus through the eyes,” infectious disease expert Aline M. Holmes, a clinical associate professor at the Rutgers University School of Nursing, tells Yahoo Life. “Masks prevent those droplets from being inhaled by mouth or the nose, but if those droplets contact the eyes, the virus can be transmitted that way also.”
A big perk of face shields: “They’re easy to wear,” Dr. Amesh A. Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells Yahoo Life.
Face shields can be especially helpful in the classroom, Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tells Yahoo Life. “When you’re communicating with someone, you can see their whole face,” he says. “You get a better sense of their emotions and what they’re trying to communicate than if you couldn’t see the bottom half of their face.”
There isn’t a lot of data on the use of face shields alone to protect against infectious disease but Adalja says that many infectious disease experts think it may be helpful. However, Holmes says, it’s thought that face shields are the most protective when they’re paired with a face mask.
If you’re interested in finding a face shield for your child, Adalja recommends making sure that the shield covers your child’s entire face and wraps somewhat around the sides of their face. “You want it to go around the cheeks and down under the chin,” Schaffner says. “I’ve seen some very short ones, and that’s not ideal.” Shields that have a padded band around the forehead can be more comfortable, too, Schaffner says.
Of course, getting kids to wear anything they don’t want to can be a challenge. That’s why some companies have created fun face shields with designs to draw kids in. Here are some options designed specifically for children to check out:
Reicety Face Shield for Kids
This has all the basics you want in a face shield, wrapped in an adorable package your child will love. Each pack of five has an anti-fog face shield with a cute design on top. Padding across the forehead and an elastic band makes it comfortable for your child to wear. Choose between a shield with a fox (pictured), hedgehog, clown, watermelon, or crown.
The Coolest Shields Face Shields for Kids
At 7.5 inches high and 7 inches wide, this fun reusable shield will protect most children up to age 10. (There’s also an option for older children that’s 10 by 9 inches.) Made of polycarbonate, the shields offer your child a clear view. People rave about the shields in the reviews, with one parent noting that it’s “really well made” and “great quality.” “My kids don’t want to stop wearing them,” they added. The shields come in a slew of designs, including ladybug (pictured), astronaut, shark, monster, and unicorn.
O2 Lifecare Kids Face Shield
This set of six face shields is a variety pack, so your child will get something different to wear each time. The shields are made from easy-to-clean polyethylene plastic that cover your child’s face from their eyebrows to their chin. The shields are scratch-resistant and anti-fog, and have a comfortable padded band around the forehead. Many reviewers talked about how “comfortable” and “durable” the shields are.
Jastore Kids Sun Hat with Visor
A slight twist on the standard visor style, this combines a bucket hat with the protection of a visor to shield your child from the sun at the same time. The hat hybrid works for children between age three to nine, and covers the child’s nose, mouth, and neck. It’s also super easy to put on and take off. The hat comes in several shades, including black, pink, blue, and red. One parent said in the reviews that their children “don’t complain” about wearing their visor-hats. “Our daughter doesn't like to wear a mask so this helps,” they wrote.
Shenglong Sun Hat with Visor
Perfect for little guys who need some convincing to cover up, this face shield doubles as a fun costume. The giraffe-themed hat is made of a soft cotton, while a detachable plastic face shield helps provide protection. Many parents said in the reviews that this is a great option for babies and children under the age of two who can’t yet wear a face mask. “We have used this multiple times for visits with grandparents and it has worked like a charm,” one reviewer wrote.
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