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Children are 'scared of hospital clowns'
Telegraph ^ | December 26, 2007 | Sarah Womak

Posted on 12/26/2007 6:19:51 AM PST by Kaslin

Don't send in the clowns

Hospitals are being urged not to decorate children's wards with paintings of clowns in case they upset young patients.

State-funded research has found that in a survey of more than 250 children aged four to 16, all disliked the use of clowns in hospital decor, with even the teenagers seeing them as "scary".

"Given that children and young people do not find hospitals frightening per se - and only express fear about those spaces associated with needles - this finding is somewhat ironic," said Dr Penny Curtis of Sheffield University.

The aim of the Space to Care study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, was to ensure children's needs are part of hospital planning.

Researchers discovered that, although children appreciated colourful walls and ceilings, many found the decor babyish.

The fear of clowns, known as coulrophobia, can cause panic attacks, shortness of breath, irregular heartbeat, sweating, nausea and feelings of dread.

It is one of the 10 most searched-for phobias on Yahoo! search engine.

Earlier this year, organisers of a music festival had to change their fancy dress circus theme after some ticket holders told them they had a phobia of clowns.

The Bestival, held on the Isle of Wight, had asked festival-goers to turn up in curly wigs and large shoes.

Psychologists who have addressed coulrophobia say it usually develops out of some traumatic incident in childhood associated with a clown.

Another factor is the representation of evil clowns in films such as Stephen King's It.

Tony Eldridge, secretary of Clowns International, said their make-up had been toned down in recent years.

Clowns traditionally wore exaggerated make-up so that they could be seen from the back of a theatre or circus, but now that most did children's parties, the make-up did not have to be so loud, he said.

It would be sad if hospitals no longer had pictures of clowns, added Mr Eldridge, who is also a director of the Clown Museum in London.

"We live in a world where everything is banned and it has got rather silly."


TOPICS:
KEYWORDS: clown; clowns; coulrophobia
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To: Kaslin
"We live in a world where everything is banned and it has got rather silly."

I must call a halt to this thread. It's just getting too silly!

41 posted on 12/26/2007 7:21:55 AM PST by lowbridge
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To: Kaslin

I must be in the minority here. I’ve always loved clowns and still do. I certainly dont see what is so scary about them.


42 posted on 12/26/2007 7:23:04 AM PST by lowbridge
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To: NewCenturions
Bump from all us Clown-o-phobes! (shudder!!)

Clowns should be nowhere near children, they're evil.

43 posted on 12/26/2007 7:27:44 AM PST by MotleyGirl70 (Dear GOP, Conservatism works every time it’s tried. Sincerely, MotleyGirl70~~~Go Packers!~~~)
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To: Kaslin

44 posted on 12/26/2007 7:33:12 AM PST by smartin (The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.)
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To: Kaslin
That's not a clown! That's...

... the Janitor!!

45 posted on 12/26/2007 7:34:18 AM PST by theDentist (Qwerty ergo typo : I type, therefore I misspelll.)
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To: rhombus
For too many it’s more about them wanting to be loved than making people laugh.

Cases in point:


46 posted on 12/26/2007 7:34:32 AM PST by Vigilanteman (Are there any men left in Washington? Or are there only cowards? Ahmad Shah Massoud)
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To: Kaslin

I can relate to that. I have never liked clowns and have always been scared of them.

I don’t think they are funny. Just my opinion.


47 posted on 12/26/2007 7:35:53 AM PST by freekitty ((May the eagles long fly our beautiful and free American sky.))
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To: Kaslin

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5yG1Dy5b4A


48 posted on 12/26/2007 7:39:43 AM PST by smartin (The best predictor of future behavior is past behavior.)
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To: Kaslin

This reminds me of a Halloween party I went to a few years ago... one dude showed up dressed as a clown (wasn’t even an “evil” clown)... he walked in the door and a woman already at the party freaked out - we all thought she was going to lose it (look of terror on her face with crying). She left the house and never came back - no telling what happened in her past that caused such a reaction (maybe a hospital clown).


49 posted on 12/26/2007 7:41:48 AM PST by Trajan88 (www.bullittclub.com)
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To: Vigilanteman

made me laugh :-)


50 posted on 12/26/2007 7:43:22 AM PST by rhombus
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To: Kaslin
Clown School
51 posted on 12/26/2007 7:47:45 AM PST by krb (If you're not outraged, people probably like having you around.)
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To: Kaslin
How can kids be scared of a little clown?

52 posted on 12/26/2007 7:52:55 AM PST by Bon mots
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To: smartin

Nice


53 posted on 12/26/2007 7:57:16 AM PST by Kaslin (Peace is the aftermath of victory)
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To: joshhiggins

A friend of mine has the self portrait. He can’t get rid of it. He swears it’s cursed.


54 posted on 12/26/2007 8:21:30 AM PST by massgopguy (I owe everything to George Bailey)
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To: Kaslin

Why was this placed in the Extended News sidebar?

Why was this even placed in the Main forum?

Haven’t you learned anything from your last suspension?


55 posted on 12/26/2007 8:26:50 AM PST by Admin Moderator
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To: Kaslin

This adult doesn’t care for clowns either......they are creepy looking.


56 posted on 12/26/2007 8:39:50 AM PST by ThisLittleLightofMine
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To: Kaslin

Yeah, I think clowns are pretty creepy too. I don’t know why, I’ve never watched/read any horror films about it or anything, and when I was a kid I just thought that they were dumb and ugly. I think that superheroes, animals (not the overly cute-ised ones), or planets and stars would be a better choice.


57 posted on 12/26/2007 9:57:56 AM PST by Hyzenthlay (1 4m t3h 1337 h4x0r ch1x!!!!111!!1ONE)
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To: billorites
What's the matter, kid? Don't ya like clowns? Don't we make ya laugh?


58 posted on 12/26/2007 10:26:54 AM PST by Paul Heinzman
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To: Vigilanteman

59 posted on 12/26/2007 10:47:07 AM PST by BenLurkin
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To: Kaslin

60 posted on 12/26/2007 10:49:22 AM PST by BenLurkin
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