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

NAS74907

Hi, I am wondering if anybody has come across the wearing of a face mask as some form of comfort?  My 17 year old son, diagnosed with Aspergers wants to wear a mask to hide his face.  He has created a design which contains aspects of things he likes and wants to wear it when he is outside.  He starts college tomorrow and I am panicking.  Is this to do with Autism? Is it to do with problems he had at school (socialising with others and 'torturing' by teachers).  I want to let him be himself, but I am worried about the reaction of others - both staff and fellow students.

Any help info or suggestions?

Parents

  • 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 Slight smile

Reply

  • 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 Slight smile

Children
  • in reply to NAS74907

    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.

  • in reply to NAS74907

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

  • in reply to NAS74907

    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?