Dr. Warren Phillips, a temporary instructor of psychology at Iowa State and a practicing psychologist at Hope Clinic in Ames and Central Iowa Psychological Services in Des Moines, said the main problem with Halloween is children don't understand why the things around them are happening. Some children tend to think the fear the costume produces in them is a punishment. He said these reactions could lead to anxiety and fear in toddlers and preschoolers. They fear that they or someone else will be hurt, he said. Fears can manifest themselves in the form of nightmares, difficulty in going to bed or falling asleep, separation anxiety or fear of the dark, Phillips said.
Young kids use people's faces as a way to recognize people.
Children don't understand change to someone's face. This can be very confusing to them. Recently, McMurray-Schwarz heard an account of one little boy's comments when he was dressed up in costume. It's just me. He was using his comments to signal to his parents that it's scary when they're dressed up, McMurray-Schwarz said.