#Neplan deaht mask full
Masks prevent facial expressions being seen and so we cannot so easily build rapport or demonstrate empathy, things that are particularly important when we are stressed or unwell or in an unfamiliar or noisy environment.Ī clear panel constructed into the mask, or a full transparent face shield, makes it possible to see the mouth or the full face.Masks also create problems for those who use British Sign Language (BSL) as oppose to listening to the spoken voice as BSL relies heavily on facial expression used in combination with hand gestures and movements and body language.Masks muffle the sound of voices, not just reducing the volume but, even more importantly, reducing the clarity, so words are harder to properly hear and understand.Masks cover the mouth and face and by doing so prevent people from lipreading or from using (quite often subconsciously) mouth shape and facial expression to assist in accurately hearing and following what is being said.Visual clues are important for assisting the way we interact with others. Let’s also not forget that even people with good hearing and no communication challenges make use of lipreading and facial expressions to communicate as shown by research undertaken in the past. Each and every one of these individuals might now find life harder due to the use of masks and other facial coverings.Īnd it is not just people with deafness who will be struggling: the Royal College of Speech & Language Therapists has highlighted the potential impact of masks on others with communication challenge, including people with aphasia, autism, with dementia or with learning disability. Let us know if you are aware of a product not listed.Īcross the UK, at least 11 million people have some level of deafness. Products available on the market are listed below – scroll down.