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....

It had never occurred to me that those kind of costumes wouldn't be flammable.
I've felt sick at organised bonfires seeing little children dressed in costumes holding sparklers though so obviously I'm in the minority.
I think parents and children need to be educated in how to behave safely around fire. I'm not sure removing all danger is the best way to do that either.
We do loads of Halloween decorations on the front of the house but never put lit pumpkins on the doorstep and they are kept well away from the path, there is a low wall between the path and garden. Every year I see parents encouraging their children to climb over the wall onto the garden and stand next to the pumpkins for photos.
The same at birthday parties we always do the cake when the children are all sitting down. I've seen others have the birthday child standing holding the cake with all the other children crowding around.
It's often foolish behaviour from the adults that will lead to children being hurt. (Not suggesting Claudia Winkleman was being foolish though)

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...

As I said, I am sure that on another thread a poster "in the business" said that there were actually no real flammability tests for ordinary children's clothing apart from nightwear. So, the pretty party frock with airy polyester net layers is just as dangerous as the cheap floaty fancy dress. I think the problem could be bigger than just fancy dress.

The thing I found most shocking was that no one seems to have known the correct first aid for burns.

From the article, the man who helped says that he called out for water but someone said not to use it, then the child was wrapped in clingfilm without first cooling the burn.

He had burns to his hands and someone applied toothpaste!

Early cooling under running water is essential to limit the amount of tissue damage. Please, if you don't know what to do, educate yourself now!

www.sja.org.uk/sja/first-aid-advice/hot-and-cold-conditions/burns-and-scalds.aspx

Just checked on two of the costumes we have here, both have a KEEP AWAY FROM FIRE label in, I'm almost certain they also had similar attached when new.

Winter well in the street there are smokers...and as people on here have said, their children wear their costumes to the shops and school.

There are unexpected sparks from electrical appliances too.

The legislation and testing on flammability for dressing up clothes is the SAME as normal childrens clothing other than nightwear.

Therefore a girls party dress would be labelled Keep Away From Fire exactly the same as a dressing up outfit. Some girls party dresses will be in exactly the same fabric as dressing up clothes. There is no specific fabric for dressing up clothes although typically they are in cheaper fabrics but many expensive party dresses may be in fabric that burns/melts in the same way and are not treated for flammability.

It is only girls nightdresses that have to be tested for flammability and hence cotton cannot be used for girls nightwear unless treated.

Soup dragon is totally correct in her post above stating that there is no difference between some girls party dresses and fancy dress.

There is absolutely no point getting rid of all fancy dress unless you also get rid of any other clothes that could also be a risk due to their style.

The media/public are confused. This hype about dressing up could actually be more dangerous as parents may think normal clothes are from safe fabrics. They need to appreciate that it is not dressing up clothes that are the risk it is any clothes but especially full skirted styles near flames. The only solution is to keep away from flames.

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?

Cotton is apparently even worse for flammability than synthetics (catches light easily) and shouldn't be used where there's a risk unless the clothes are close-fitting. That's why pyjamas are usually cotton but nightdresses polyester. Polycotton mixes are the worst of all as they catch easily due to the cotton and once lit burn well due to the synthetics.

Yes, but you need to keep small children from getting cigarettes on them no matter what they are wearing, and sparks from electrical appliances? I'm pretty old and have never seen random sparks from appliances just sitting there. Of course if you're letting your toddlers play with knives and toasters that might be a consideration.....

so that is why you can never find cotton nightdresses for children.

^ what rainbows2 said. Far far better to teach safety around fire than to "rely" on clothes not catching light - whether fancy dress or normal.

Are natural fibres better? Yes as they burn rather than melting into the skin. I think they spend less time smoldering before combusting too? Also an issue with the amount of air to fan the flames in floaty fabrics and also floaty costumes are more likely to be further away from wearer and thus closer to any nearby flames eg leaning over a birthday cake. Agreed synthetic normal clothing is no better.

My DDs' dressing up stuff was taking over their bedrooms so I donated the lot to younger DD's nursery. They don't have naked flames in the room so they were more than happy to accept them.

how yes...the description of HOW the costume burned was disturbing. Cotton would be better.

I really hope we all learn from this mistake as its a terrible incident

pretty much every time you have have a kid dressed up there are either pumpkin candles or cake cancles nearby

they need to change the costumes- end of

Remember the issue in the 90's with shellsuits? Same problem, fire is a risk we live with everyday but the material clothes are made from can be a bigger problem. Plastic stuff melts to the skin and keeps on burning, horrific stuff.

Accidents will happen but making sure kids/anyone isn't wearing fabric that will melt to the skin is sensible especially during any festivities where candles are likely to be used.

bore

agree! I know about the cold water thing to stop the burning- but never knew about clingfilm

I had heard vaguely about CWs daughter being burned on Halloween night, but didn't know the details. Awful to see her relive that night in that clip.

This thread has opened my eyes. Thank you for it OP.

I have 3 older DDs (long grown out of dressing up) who's dressing up stuff was basic old clothes. These nylon costumes weren't so easy or cheap to get hold of then, and i'm pretty sure none of them ever wore one.

However, i have a DD4 now, only 17 months old, who has already worn one of these costumes - last Halloween, to a 'baby' Halloween party during the day. (costume was a little gift from MIL).

I actually wont put her in any of these costumes ever again having read this thread. Pretty and cheap as they are, it's not worth the risk.

Thanks Fromparis

Cooling - for at least 10 minutes under running (if poss) water is the single most important thing to reduce the amount of tissue damage.

AFTER cooling, clingfilm protects the area from infection, keeps it moist and reduces pain until proper treatment can be sought.

NO creams/lotions/potions/butter etc EVER.

I used cling film last year on two occasions, first when I splashed quite a lot of hot oil on my arm and second time when DS stood to close to a fan heater with metal bars across it. Both times I cooled the burn with cold water for 30 minutes then laid cling film over the burn for a day.

DS's burn wasn't that bad but it healed beautifully, the red marks disappeared and there was no scaring. My arm still has brown marks where the oil landed but I didn't lose any skin. It healed wet IYSWIM. I've never had a burn heal like that before.

I don't think either burn needed medical attention bit obviously if you do then go to a&e but you can still protect the burn by using cling film before you're seen by a doctor. Just make sure you place the film length ways and don't wrap it around.

I had a pumpkin with candle inside the house where children were coming to the door and not coming anywhere inside or near the candle.

That was when my own DCs were too young to be involved, but DD1 will be 3 1/2 this Halloween so she'll want a costume and if we do a pumpkin I'll put a fake candle inside. I love real candles but just not worth the risk.

DD1 was a cat at the party we went to last year with home made tail and ears made from an old t-shirt, cardboard and elastic, plus face painted nose and whiskers - seemed to do her ok!

If you do your pumpkin properly there is no danger at all. Think about it, if it is fully encased there is no way it can set any costume alight, unless you are letting children play with it.

Yes but if you have a group of kids standing close together it's really easy for a pumpkin to get knocked over and these costumes go up very quickly.

A friend of mine wrote on FB that a storm was coming so she was getting the candles out ready just in case. She has young kids and cats. You can buy LED torches fairly cheaply these days and they are so much safer.

We do use real candles for birthday cakes but watch them very closely.

I'm also in the 'manageable risk' category. Clothing is flammable, some more than others but flammable all the same.
I recall a friend of DS's standing too close to a coal fire at her Grans and an ember set light to her dress resulting in quite nasty burns to her thighs.

I think a reminder that kids and flames don't mix is never a bad thing, but I wouldn't throw away dressing up clothes.

I'm also in the 'manageable risk' category.

Isn't the point of the publicity over this because it isn't manageable? Hence Claudia's interviews as referenced in the initial post?

I'm sure she though it was a manageable risk until last Halloween.