As speech-language pathologists across the country wrap up the 2019-2020 school year, we’re thinking about what fall may look like for therapy. The CDC continues to share the knowledge that direct contact with droplets is how COVID-19 is shared. SLPs are going to be required to avoid direct contact with air droplets from talking while working up close and personal with children and that seems impossible for a specialty that focuses part of our work specifically in their mouths for speech sound production.
The sewers of the world have created several homemade masks with clear windows over the mouth but they leave a lot more questions than answers. Do they stop droplets from the speaker? Are they breathable? Do they touch your lips? Most importantly, won’t they just fog right up when you start speaking?
I tested two fog prevention methods this week on a mask I bought online. Check out the video below.
Fog be gone! I predict when I head back to therapy I’ll be rocking the clear mask and carrying a salad dressing container full of Dawn dish soap in my purse.
The spray fog preventer can be found here on Amazon, although it only lasted about 5 minutes before re-fogging. I would go with Dawn because it lasted an hour!
The mask shown in this video was purchased from FabSewFinds on Etsy. I don’t have any affiliate with Phyllis, but did reach out to tell her I was mentioning her store in my article. She said she plans to restock the ” window smile masks” soon. Check back soon if they are sold out of the style you would like. When purchasing a window style mask beware of the style. I purchased several and there were some HERO and ZERO! Some of them touch your mouth when you speak. Check back next week when I’ll share another video to compare the styles of clear masks so you don’t end up with something you can’t wear at all.
If you’ve tried a clear mask and had luck keeping it from fog with another option I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment here on on Instagram.
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