To throw away all my children's dressing up clothes?

[MrsNextDoor]

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-3096677/Why-parent-throw-child-s-fancy-dress-costumes-man-saved-TV-Claudia-s-daughter-fireball.html

Daily Fail link sorry but I've learned from it that after Claudia Winkleman's poor DD was burned at Halloween, the man who helped her has found out that Halloween and dress up costumes...the nylon kind we all buy cheaply in Supermarkets are classed as TOYS and so aren't fire safe.

why did I never check!?

I know our kids don't routinely run round candles in their dress up outfits but one spark....

A 4 year old child actress, Caryll Ekeland, died in a similar Halloween accident many years ago, so it's not like it's an unknown risk.

You could just not let them stand on candles, which would make more sense.

I think the difference with normal clothes is the way the stuff melts into your skin. It has certainly made me think much harder about naked flames and these costumes in future and I won't be buying more.

Plenty of people have candles in front garden pumpkins for trick or treating in the belief they are doing something lovely, and would not think of the dangers of small children in wafty cloaks and dresses crowding on their doorstep.

You are not over-reacting with regards to Halloween, but dressing up is fun, so just do it in a safe environment.

Oh, good point about birthday parties and candle on cakes!

I'm gonna start replacing my DC costumes...I was so shocked about this issue. I think its a scandal these costumes are allowed. It is perfectly feasible that a child could be wearing one on bonfire night and before this, no one even knew. I would have had assumed there were safety standards to protect consumers from this.

i think donating them to primary school/pre school would be a horrendous idea.
quite foolish.
if you dont want them in the house, bin them

I don't see an issue with them personally. Dd only wears hers in the house, where we don't have any naked flames, and so,dimes to the shops etc.

I can't her spontaneously combusting in Netto.

I'd keep it in mind for Halloween though, yes. Even so a tea light in a pumpkin I can't see being a mortal danger.

redYellow the candle was on the doorstep of a house they were trick or treating at not in their house.

It's up to you.

I think it's far more sensible overall not to let small children play near candles/open flames.

We do have a gas fire here, but we have to use it and it's covered with a big metal fire guard.

I can sew so wonder if I should make a few generic princess frocks and other things in cotton. Would that be better or just as flammable?

I'm old enough to remember the campaigns from the 70s and early 80s to make children's nightwear flame retardant. If you have seen the video of the witches costume going up in flames from the fire service that was how nightwear used to be. It took years before the law was changed.

perhaps we are too complacent about fire safety now

Surely you just make sure your children aren't around flames or anything like that

I'm sure I read on another thread that only children's nightwear has flammability checks. Other clothing does not. Are you planning on ditching all their clothing in favour of fire retardant fabrics (which cotton isn't BTW)?

Even so a tea light in a pumpkin I can't see being a mortal danger.

I would say that depends on how big an opening there is for the mouth of the mumps in lantern and how many floaty bits there are on the costume.

I think that if I do pumpkin lanterns again, I will put battery operated tea lights in them.

I think it's a shame to lose the traditions. Everything seems to have the life sucked out of it these days.

I would use candles, but make sure the carved openings aren't too big and keep them somewhere safe.

I don't think putting a battery light in a pumpkin is losing any kind of tradition.

TBH, I'd rather have the life sucked out of a pumpkin than out of a child in a flammable costume.

Those saying oh just keep them away from candles...these things aren't always in our control. There are other sources of flame.

You could just limit dressing up to inside your home and have no candles/fire whilst dressing up. I do allow dress up clothes into school - no flames there.

Also I am a bit of a Scrooge on Halloween as I let my kids dress up an give them a stash of candy but we don't actually go out, we just open the door to trick or treaters and so dc still participate but under a bit more control. 9yo autistic so I approach everything much more cautiously anyway.

I am more aware and vigilant since seeing Claudia's video for watchdog although we have no naked flames in the house we will definitely be having battery powered lights in our pumpkins next year.
I hope the law does change though, I would gladly pay more for fancy dress costumes that were stronger and safer- probably wouldn't actually cost that much more in the long term as they would be easier to sell/buy second hand too if they were better made.
I was a few weeks ago my child was at a "princess" party and the entertainers produced a prop with a naked flame that they turned into sweets. Cheap plastic Elsa costumes floating about all over the place. sheesh.
I also cringed when she said she was patting the flames too- I don't know but that could have even made it worse couldn't it- I was taught drop roll cover smother?

I can't see this being an issue, it's not like kids running about in fancy dress ever go anywhere near candles on any cakes at parties or anything...

Oh - hang on a minute...

What other sources of flame are there that you can't control with a child small enough to be wearing costumes?

My cousins child leant over her birthday cake wearing one of these costumes, luckily we reacted super quickly when the candles ignited some of the fabric.