Masks in class: How damaging is it to child development?

Washington – Two years into the pandemic, concerns around the effect of masks on the linguistic, emotional and social development of children are taking center stage. In the United States, calls to lift mask mandates at school have multiplied in recent weeks, including within the scientific community, at a time when new cases of COVID-19 are plunging. Scientific studies have shown that masks do indeed impact children's ability to recognize faces and emotions. As with adults, masks can also interfere with verbal communication. But experts are divided on the long-term effects on children's development.