Finding or creating costumes for children with special needs can be exciting, stressful, fun, and frustrating. Shortcomings in commercially-produced costumes that are inconveniences for mainstream peers may be great difficulties for children with a disability or chronic health condition. The most common time of year for a child to wear a costume is probably Halloween, at the end of October, but November holds many opportunities to dress like First Thanksgiving dinner participants.

Planning a costume for a baby may be the easiest - many little outfits are already designed with cute animal themes or occupations, complete with hats or hoods. When sewing additions like dog, bunny or bear ears on to a baby's hood, Dalmatian or Cow spots on fuzzy pajamas, keep in mind that additions may be sucked on or chewed and are a choking hazard if they become detached or torn. If you use stuffed socks for animal ears, the stuffing may also be a hazard.

Bellbottom Elvis trousers can become entangled in wheelchair wheels as easily as feather boas. Using black plastic trash bags for raisin costumes, white plastic bags for ghosts, or theme leaf bags for pumpkin costumes may be inexpensive alternatives, but plastic is always a hazard for children, who should never put bags over their faces for any reason, risking suffocation or strangling. Strips of torn plastic are choking hazards. Children wrapped in plastic can easily overheat so be very careful with imaginative choices.

When decorating power chairs, be aware of the battery area and potentially dangerous moving parts. Tall bicycle flags can be attached; spokes and flag sticks can be decorated with glowstick necklaces, reflective tape and other items depending on the theme. Make sure a box fits over a wheelchair as your child envisions it before you paint or decorate it - and the whole thing needs to fit through doorways, too. Wire coathangers, brown paper grocery sacks, duct tape and foil can create the illusion of everything from a baked potato to a throne to a spaceship.

Tails, long cuffs, gowns and royal robes may be tripping hazards for children. Dragon tails may be difficult for sitting and dangerous in car seats. All children need quick and easy escapes for diaper changes or bathroom breaks.

Reflective tape, glow sticks and flashlights are a must if a child spends any time outdoors. They need protection from cold, damp weather and easy clean ups after dragging through mud. Sturdy, roomy, trick or treat bags with padded handles are helpful.

Make up and face paint are generally recommended over masks, but some children love masks and will not be deterred. You may blow up a round balloon and tie it, wrap it with several layers of strips of newspaper slathered with flour and water (you may want to let it dry between the first layers and the last), and create a papier mache ball that can be cut down into several sizes of masks.

Use non toxic paint and decorate it according to the costume or identity wanted - poke assorted small holes for ventilation as well as for eyes, nose and mouth.

Sometimes a decorated hood or a hat can be substituted for the traditional mask, but remember that hats and masks will be removed when they become uncomfortable so pre-plan by providing a carrying case or bag.

Making an iron on transfer on see through nylon that can be sewed into a hood or Zorro type wrapped mask might be a good alternative for children who can't tolerate plastic or rubber covering their faces. Nylon cloth can also be used to cover large ventilation holes in masks. My son chose to be a doctor one year, and we found actual cotton/poly scrubs were less expensive than the nylon 'doctor' outfit available at the costume store. He topped it off with an ironed on Dr. Phil wraparound mask (on see through nylon) and was the hit of the party.

If your little girl wants to be a princess, you may wish to check the local thrift store for bridesmaid or flower girl dresses one size larger that were worn only once and look brand new. There are also fatigues and uniform jackets in a variety of sizes at most thrift stores. Graduation gowns in a variety of colors are often available and can be used as witch's or wizard robes. Dollar stores sometimes have craft sections where you can find sparkly jewels to glue on costumes, and of course craft stores have all sorts of wonderful finds.

Paper sacks can be made into a variety of hats and headdresses and are surprisingly warm on cool nights. Grocery sacks can be cut into jackets, but beware of paper cuts. Folds are safer and more comfortable than cut edges. Reinforce paper with tape in strategic areas. These are often found when the costume rips, so pack repair kits.

Most neighborhoods, many cultural organizations and faith communities, and some schools plan costume parties for children to keep them off dangerous streets on Halloween night. All children need supervision during outings and community events. It's a sad fact that bullies and predators are often drawn to such gatherings and often cannot be recognized as different from decent human beings.

Establishing working relationships within our communities can be as simple as bringing snacks or drinks for planners and volunteers or having family members, including our children, help with work details. Call ahead to remind planners of simple wheelchair accessibility standards, or offer to help set up - or clean up! - for the event.

If your child has specific dietary restrictions, you may be able to request or provide small toys as prizes for anyone with similar health issues. Some booths at carnival type parties may give tickets or coupons as prizes and children can redeem them for what they want at a prize table. This is an accommodation that gives all children greater access to choice, a prize in itself.

Many children choose to be scary, powerful, magical or glamorous when they dress up for Halloween. Some enjoy maintaining their new identity well into November. Beware!

Get ideas for costumes at the Costume Store at Amazon.com

Browse at your local bookstore, public library or online retailer for books with Costume Ideas
for Children

Bridge School - Costumes for children with limited mobility
Costumes for children using wheelchairs
http:www.bridgeschool.org/about/about_halloween.html

ATA We Can Play Costume Capers
http://www.ataccess.org/resources/wcp/enhtml/en06Costumes.html

Engineer and his Train
www.kidsdomain.com/craft/_hcostume.html

Halloween Safety Guide
Costumes
Parties
Trick or Treating
What to tell your children
Yard Haunts
Pet Care
http://www.halloween-safety.com/

Washable Temporary Tatoos with Emergency Information
http://tattooswithapurpose.com

Carriagehouse Creations features Special Needs EZ Access Shirts for
babies and children with feeding tubes, and other handcrafted items
http://stores.ebay.com/Carriagehouse-Creations

Soothing Children's Fears
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art35602.asp

Down Syndrome and the Acting Gene
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art34198.asp

Music Education - Every Voice Heard
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art46397.asp

Art and Self Expression for Children with Special Needs
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art17513.asp

Down Syndrome in Arts and Media - Talent, Referrals, Consultation, Advocacy
http://www.dsiam.org

Is Diversity Like A New Box of Crayons?
http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art5144.asp

Clothing for medically fragile infants - created to reduce likelihood of babies pulling out NG tubes

Halloween and the Mask of Disability PDF
http://disabilityisnatural.com/articles/index.htm

Disability Central ecards
http://www.disabilitycentral.com/ecards/index.html

Dollar Stretcher Halloween Ideas
http://www.stretcher.com/menu/topic-g.htm#halloween