Hiding beneath a full face mask - nothing to do with Covid 19

I mean you could write a letter, jointly with your son, to the head requesting this as a reasonable adjustment.

The following arguments could be made:

• Displaying your sons facial expressions is not likely to help communication with teachers because his autism makes his facial expressions misleading.
• If lip reading is nessicery a half mask could be worn
• If the decoration on the mask is inappropriate they could specify a plain mask be worn.
• If a particular activity (PE / Drama) required it to be removed it could be removed for that activity.
• Because your son suffers anxiety about others misinterpreting his facial expressions allowing him to wear something that conceals his facial expressions most of the time would be a reasonable adjustment.

Putting it in writing and requesting a written response will make him really think about it which he probably didn't at the time.

Does he plan on being on camera for the YouTube channel or just doing voice-over?

Is there any way you can have a discussion with the head about your son and his autism and social anxiety, and how wearing the full faced mask gave him confidence, and ask if there's any way to make the transition into the new school easier for him, any accomodations, help, support for him. I mean if he needs to have a meltdown, is there a room he can go to so he can call you? 

Hi, thanks for all the replies. He went in with the face mask - yes it is a full face, eyes and mouth cut out but the rest covered. The head of the course 'told' him to take it off. My son did so and said he felt all his confidence drain away. He stayed for the first lesson and at break he sent me a text asking me to pick him up, it wasn't going to work. He told me that the teacher he had, asked him what was wrong and didn't listen to my son trying to explain that his 'issues' were surfacing. Any way he says he is not going back.

I don't know what to do. He is still supposed to be in education as he is seventeen. He wants to start a YouTube channel, about playing computer games plus some other stuff too. I desperately want to help him, but don't know what I can do.

If I done something weird to any posts I apologise - I'm still finding out how this all works 

My son is the same. He hates school and social interactions, so I think the face mask helps him hide. He absolutely hates being on the camera during online lessons or doctor's online appointments. Of course I don't know how he will cope when the pandemic ends and we say bye to the masks. It would be a huge struggle without masks for him.

Well the first day of college is like the first day of highschool or even kindergarden, is scary because it's a new environment, you don't know anyone there, and every single person has anxiety, even for those who are usually extroverted. Approaching others is awkward, and breaking that tension everyone is feeling is very difficult. 

I think that if he just goes in with a full face mask, and no one knows him yet, it might be intimidating for others to approach him. But if he's already established some kind of bond with others, and then he chooses to wear his creative full face mask, it might be okay because they already know him.

I mean, I understand that it's comfortable to hide the face, like some people like wearing baseball hats, or hoodies, to create a cave-like interior, so that they have the perception of being in an enclosed space, and they feel a lot safer. 

Perhaps you could convince him to create a T-shirt design instead? Because if he shows off his full face mask, everyone might just stare at his face, and that might be uncomfortable. Also it might get too hot, and he might have trouble breathing. 

When you say full face mask do you mean one that covers the entire face that has eye holes? Is there someone at the college you can talk to first thing in the morning? It may be a security issue if his entire face is covered and if they won’t allow it you can explain to him and maybe find him a “Covid” mask in a pattern or design he likes. I can understand why he may feel like he needs to hide behind something for comfort as he’s going into a new situation for the first time

I would say that this is nothing to worry about for short periods as a respite from social anxiety, but I would explain to him the dangers of blocking and restricting the flow of air through the mouth and nose for sustained periods.

I am grateful that COVID allows me to wear a face mask.  It stops me worrying what people think of my face, expression or appearance or whether I’m blushing.  I would ideally like to hide all identifying features but its not possible in this society 

I'm quite conflicted about face coverings.

I find if my face is covered in public I can relax a little bit more - I don't have to concentrate on my facial expressions and I can stim my beard with my tounge. It's also a physical representation of the social mask that I (and many autists) wear in anyone elses presence... so there is some comfort in this also.

However I don't like speaking to people if I can't see their face... I struggle to understand how a person is reacting to me at the best of times, and removing the blatently obvious smile/frown hints doesn't help.

Until covid it wasn't really an option for me to cover my face as it would make me stand out (and as an un-diagnosed autistic I desperately wanted to fit in). I do remember a certain enjoyment wearing my motorcycle helmet or balaclava when at the snow.

Unfortunately I find the covid style face masks very restricting and uncomfortable, so I delight in ripping it off as soon as I leave the supermarket.

In summary I don't think it's an issue at all if wearing a mask makes him feel comfortable when having to be around other people.