As kids no longer have to wear masks in New York City public schools, a speech pathologist has tips on how to help your children adjust. 

Anna Godelman, a speech language pathologist with NYC Health + Hospitals, Kings County, recommends that parents have conversations with their children about the change. 

"There is definitely going to be an adjustment period that parents and educators have to work together to find ways to have an open communication about changes children might be experiencing,” Godelman says. “With the younger kids, you know any sort of behavioral outburst that they might see…they might not understand why masks have been taken away all of a sudden, and that's something that they need to discuss amongst themselves to maybe give the children some more education as to what's happening."

Godelman says the removal of the mask requirement will also have an impact on how children can communicate. 

“This will definitely allow for more communication between peers and teachers, allow for much more social interaction and for children to pick up on social cues that they might have missed," she says. “For young learners especially, navigating social cues and reading the facial expressions is very important, and that's what they learn at a young age. Speech pathologists will also be ready to use their resources.”

Godelman says parents should know that if any issues do come up there are resources like speech therapy. 

“Speech pathologists will continue to use evidence-based practice to deal with any issues that might come up with new learners,” she says.