Healthcare providers offer advice for kids and parents worried about back-to-school

With so much uncertainty surrounding back-to-school this fall, healthcare providers from Trillium Health Partners in Mississauga are offering some practical advice to parents and kids, to help them prepare for the new reality. Dr. Ian Dawe, who is head of mental health programming at Trillium, says he knows parents are feeling a lot of anxiety, but the best way to cope with it is to accept that there will always be some uncertainty while minimizing the risks by taking all the steps we can, including masks, hand-washing, and physical distancing. Building tolerance for uncertainty, Dr. Dawe says, will help kids manage not only this but future anxiety as well.

Mask-wearing is one of the major ways children can protect themselves while in school. Trillium child life specialist Alexx Friesen says kids can get comfortable wearing masks by incorporating them into play, such as putting masks on stuffed toys or dolls. She adds that, since masks are here to stay, wearing them should be treated like a new life skill, much like tying shoelaces or crossing the street safely. She says children need to understand why they wear a mask, so it’s a great opportunity to learn about germs and hand hygiene.

Source: CTV News