Halloween week is underway at Children’s of Alabama, and some of the hospital’s youngest patients are already showing off their costumes.

In the Children’s Neonatal Intensive Care Unit, nurses and families are dressing infants in costumes, many of which are handmade or donated by staff. For some patients, this is their first Halloween, and they are spending it in the hospital.

“Dressing up the patients each year is a way for us to help our tiniest patients participate in Halloween festivities,” said Lexie Brown, a nurse in Children’s NICU. “It brings joy to our staff when we see the happiness on a parent’s face when they see their child in a costume. We are glad that we can provide a sense of normalcy for these families as they are going through a difficult time.”

This year’s tiny trick-or-treaters include an astronaut, a fisherman, a bunny and a strawberry. The initiative is part of the hospital’s ongoing efforts to bring comfort and a sense of celebration to children facing medical challenges.