>U Mom Knows Best: Recognizing Autism Awareness Month With A Facemask

Friday, April 2, 2021

Recognizing Autism Awareness Month With A Facemask

 April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day

I received samples to facilitate this post

 The month of April begins with two wonderful celebrations. My youngest son will be celebrating his 13th birthday on April 2 and this awesome day is also Autism Awareness Day. While my son does not have autism, I have several friends who have children with this disability. So I wanted to share some facts about Autism Spectrum Disorder or ASD.

Did you know?

·  About one-in-54 children has been identified with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). 

·  About one-in-six children aged 3–17 years (17%) were diagnosed with a developmental disability as reported by parents, during a study period of 2009-2017. These included autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, blindness, and cerebral palsy, among others. 

What Exactly is Autism?

 Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or autism is a developmental disability considered the result of a neurological condition affecting normal brain function, development, and social interactions. Children and adults with autism find it difficult or impossible to relate to other people in a meaningful way and may show restrictive and/or repetitive patterns of behavior or body movements. While great strides are being made, there is no known cause or a known singular effective treatment for autism.

Wearing a facemask can be tough for people with autism

 For individuals with autism and other sensory processing challenges or disabilities, mask-wearing can be difficult. A face covering introduces multiple new stimuli, including the fabric's sensation, the pressure of tight elastic bands, and the heat and moisture from breath inside the mask.

 While I do not have autism, I have asthma and this can make wearing a facemask difficult for me. So I understand when someone has a challenge with wearing a facemask. Wearing a facemask for longer than ten minutes can cause me to have an asthma attack. Throw in chemical cleaners and hand sanitizers, asthma triggers for me, and the simple act of grocery shopping becomes a difficult task for me. So I totally understand the effect the pandemic has on people with sensory issues. 

 Sensory issues are one of the many challenges that affect individuals with autism so I am glad that Easterseals Southern California Partnered with Rafi Nova to Offer a Mask Designed With Sensory Sensitivities in Mind. Rafi Nova wanted masks to be comfortable and functional for everyone. 

A portion of each purchase will be donated to Easterseals Southern California when you use code: ESSC


Features of the Mask Include:

+ Softness:  100% Mulberry silk lining reduces friction and adjustable jersey knit straps clasp behind the head instead of pinching the ears.

+ Structured:  Minimal design and limited seaming. 

+ Secure:  Adjustable nose bridge ensures the perfect fit and decreases glasses fogging. 

+ Safe:  Special construction lifts the mask off the mouth and highly breathable cotton is used on the exterior.

+ Durability: The mask has an antibacterial layer and is reusable and machine washable

 + Ease:  A clasp on the back ensures ease of putting on and removal. When not on the face, the mask may safely remain on the person and not be lost thanks to an extra strap feature that fastens it behind the neck. 

+ Social Story:  Comes with visual storytelling designed by therapists that helps children understand the mask-wearing necessity.  

 I was happy to try the Rafi Nova facemask and proud to support an awesome cause. When I received the facemasks that were designed for people with autism, I noticed that the facemask material was soft and silky. The facemask was easy to put on and I loved that the straps did not pinch my ears. The included booklet helped me to understand more about children with autism.

Get your Sensory-Friendly Mask now


 The Sensory-Friendly Mask retails for $14 (child sizes) and $16 (adults). Available in light blue, light pink, hunter green, black, and “Over the Moon” (kids sizes only). The unique facemasks are available HERE and when you use code: ESSC, a portion of each purchase will be donated to Easterseals Southern California. 

About Rafi Nova:

 Rafi Nova is a socially conscious lifestyle brand on a mission to outfit families with products and accessories designed for everyday adventures while empowering them to connect, have fun and do more good in the world. Founded as a fair-trade fashion brand to equip adventurous families with sustainably made travel bags, the company shifted focus to face masks to solve the urgent needs of families and communities. Veterans of sustainable product manufacturing, Co-founders Marissa and Adam Goldstein named the company after their two sets of twins and travel partners: Raya, Efi, Noa, and Eyva.

About Easterseals:

 For more than 100 years, Easterseals has been an indispensable resource for people with disabilities and their families. Each year more than 1.5 million people benefit from Easterseals services across a network of affiliates in communities nationwide. Easterseals makes profound and positive differences in people's lives every day, helping them address life’s challenges and achieve personal goals so that they can live, learn, work and play in our communities. 

 April 2nd is Autism Awareness Day &April is Autism Awareness Month



6 comments:

melissa said...

This is a great cause and I have a lot of compassion for families with an autistic child. we should do all we can for these disorders and helping during the pandemic makes so much sense.

Nikki Wayne said...

Glad you shared this.. It feels so good to be knowledgeable.

Ryan Escat said...

Gosh.. I didn't even know about this day. Thanks for sharing the knowledge and awareness.

Ben said...

I love this. It's so important for people to really be aware ore Autism. It's one of those things that people don't seem to really understand.

The Super Mom Life said...

It's very nice of them to be donating a portion to such an important cause.

Wren LaPorte said...

This is fantastic! I did not even think about a facemask being an issue, so thank you for showing me that. Everyone should feel comfortable.

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