Premature and sick babies in the Cleveland Clinic Children's NICU got dressed up for Halloween this year, swapping hospital blankets for costumes that turned the smallest patients into witches, mermaids, superheroes and even a pair of video game plumbers. Two of the NICU's tiniest residents wore matching Luigi and Mario costumes, while others were decked out as a tutu-wearing pumpkin, a witch and a little mermaid.
For this year's event, parents provided the costumes, as fox8.com reported. A 2025 report from nbcdfw.com said some costumes were donated and others hand-crocheted by the NICU's caregivers. Parents also supplied costumes for pirates, mermaids and superheroes, as fox8.com reported. Other newborns were transformed into a small but mighty lion, a pair of twin skeletons, and a lineup of classic superheroes, according to talker.news, which also noted that some patients wore costumes inspired by “The Incredibles.”
A Tradition Years in the Making
This isn't a one-time stunt. The tradition of dressing up NICU babies for Halloween dates back several years at Cleveland Clinic Children's, per the same NBC report, and the hospital's caregivers create costumes for the babies annually, according to a 2023 report from cleveland19.com. The recurring event turns a stressful ward into something a little lighter for families spending an uncertain stretch of time at the bedside.
Kelly Yuhasz, the Cleveland Clinic Children's NICU nurse manager, said small moments like these can mean a lot to families navigating an uncertain NICU stay, as reported by The Daily Gazette. Yuhasz said families should have the same chances to celebrate milestones with their babies as they would at home, and that the NICU team considers it special to help make that happen. She added that the Halloween event was meant to bring joy to families during what can be an emotional time.
Similar Celebrations Beyond Cleveland
Cleveland isn't the only NICU marking the holiday this year. At Henrico Doctors' Hospital in Virginia, babies attended a NICU trick-or-treat event on Oct. 23, where NICU visitors, families and caregivers came together, according to wric.com. Costumes there ranged from bright yellow bees to a sleepy caterpillar, the station reported.
Farther north, the NICU at Mass General Brigham for Children at Brigham and Women's Hospital planned to dress its tiniest patients as cowboys and cowgirls for their first Halloween, with this year's unit theme going western, according to the Washington Post. Cleveland's celebration was intended to bring joy to families during an emotional time.
