For Howard McBroom, comfort is crucial. Since the Covid-19 pandemic began, though, McBroom has found himself uncomfortable far too often.
The culprit? Masks – like millions of Americans, he’s been wearing them to help stem the tide of the coronavirus.
McBroom has autism, a developmental disability that impacts a person’s verbal and non-verbal communication and social interaction. Many people with autism experience sensory sensitivities, and for McBroom, covering his face with a traditional mask has made it difficult to speak, often causing feelings of claustrophobia.
This is a reality many people with autism and other sensory needs have faced since the pandemic began. Several months ago, Easterseals Southern California (ESSC), an affiliate of Easterseals national, a nonprofit that provides services to people with disabilities and their families, set out to do something about it.
Towards the end of 2020, ESSC heard about a new socially conscious lifestyle brand, Rafi Nova. Rafi Nova, which launched mere weeks before the pandemic began, pivoted from making handbags and accessories to masks. They created the smile mask, featuring a clear panel, for people who are deaf and hard of hearing, restoring the ability to see visual cues and communication. In October, ESSC reached out to see if Rafi Nova would be willing to partner and develop a sensory-friendly mask for people with autism and other disabilities.
Immediately, a partnership was formed.
“We started to design this mask hand in hand with their team, and it’s really been incredible,” said Marissa Goldstein, co-founder of Rafi Nova.
Rafi Nova pulled together a team that included their core members and designers. ESSC did, too, including speech and occupational therapists, board-certified behavior analysts, and Dr. Paula Pompa-Craven, Psy.D., ESSC’s Chief Clinical Officer, who also happens to be a clinical psychologist. At first, they would meet virtually every week to discuss what was inhibiting many of ESSC’s participants and other people with autism from wearing traditional facemasks.
“We said, here are the things that we have heard, and we’ve experienced with the individuals that we support,” Dr. Pompa-Craven said. “They have difficulty when something is sitting against their face, when there’s a lot of like seams and materials that scratch the face, or feel uncomfortable. Many say the masks make them feel like they can’t breathe, fogged-up glasses, those types of things. They [traditional masks] sit around your ears, and there’s a lot of discomfort and sensitivity around the ear area.”
The team at Rafi Nova got to work. They would create a mask and send it to ESSC, who would have children and adults on the spectrum and with other disabilities try the masks. After around five prototypes, they finally created a mask that, according to Dr. Pompa- Craven, “was it.”
Easterseals Southern California and Rafi Nova teamed up to create a mask that would be comfortable … [+]
Easterseals Southern California & Rafi Nova
The masks align with four S’s: soft, structured, secure, and safe. They are made with 100% mulberry silk lining, reducing friction and feeling comfortable on the face. The straps are adjustable jersey knit straps that clasp behind the head instead of pinching the ears. The masks have minimal design and limited seaming. There is an adjustable nose bridge ensuring the perfect fit and decreasing glasses fogging. Plus, the design lifts the mask off the mouth, making it breathable and more comfortable to speak while wearing.
But the most unique feature? With every child’s mask purchased, a social story is included.
“With our kids with autism, one of the things that we do a lot in therapy is we use social stories as a way to teach them. We use a combination of stories and photos, and usually they’re fairly short, like four or five pictures,” Dr. Pompa-Craven said.
“And so with this one, we said, ‘Here’s why I need to wear a mask. I need to wear masks because it helps to keep me safe, and it helps to keep people around me safe.’”
According to the CDC, about one-in-54 children have Autism Spectrum Disorder. 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, including autism, attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, blindness, and cerebral palsy, among others.
On top of that, ASD is the fastest-growing developmental disorder in the U.S., according to the Autism Society.
Overall, though, autism is a spectrum, and is different for every person diagnosed.
That’s why ESSC and Rafi Nova set out to create an inclusive mask that would benefit anyone and everyone— disability or not— something McBroom is thankful for.
Howard McBroom, who has autism, said the Rafi Nova mask is much more comfortable than a traditional … [+]
Howard McBroom
“It’s great, it’s soft, it’s comfortable, and it fits on the face well,” McBroom said. “They are doing great work together. I wish it would happen more often – that companies would work together to provide products that people need. That doesn’t happen nearly often enough.”
Note: The sensory friendly masks featured in this story can be purchased on Rafi Nova’s website. Use promo code ESSC and Easterseals Southern California will receive 25% of the purchase.
