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Original poster

Sensory problems and haircuts!

13 replies

lentilbake · 27/04/2012 13:38

My son has sensory processing disorder among other things and til recently hates havng his hair touched. He has got a bit better (probably due to having it handled frequently when he got headlice!) however i think cutting it would b eout the question. I am useless with hair so would completely mess it up and i dont know he will let anyone else do it. I would be afraid of him egetting so ditresed he'd move a lot and get cut!

He iss due to start school eptember and has long curly hair. everybody thinks he is a girl,a nd have been sayin that since he was about 1! I worry he will be madde fun of for having "girly" hair, what so others think, should i try and get it cut before school or just leave it and see how thing are? obviouly i ahve a bit of time to get it done

OP posts:
saladspinner · 27/04/2012 13:49

Try deep pressure before and during cut. You can do this in a variety of ways: get him to squeeze a stress ball, squeeze and apply pressure to his hands (massage), have a weighted lap pad or alternative on his lap, a weighted vest or bear hug if you have one is great. Deep pressure and use of muscles/joints inhibits over responsiveness to touch. See 'out of sync child' for other suggestions.

Original poster
lentilbake · 27/04/2012 13:59

thanks, he does some OT exercises, but others he either doesn't unertad what to do or isnt because of hi deveopmental delay able to do it, so no sure he will try the thing you suggested but will try

His hairs is actually beautiful and he likes it! he keeps asking his sisters to put clips in and my eldest daughter wants him to keep t long o she can play hairdressers with him lol!

OP posts:
2006hildy · 27/04/2012 20:30

I'd keep it long for as long as you can.

Mums in our ASD support group have cut their boys hair while they were sleeping.

We do our DS's with shears so that he does not get cut (on the longer settings so that he doesn't look like a skinhead) but it means he has one style and that's it. There are a lot of tears and snot mixed in with hair but he goes in the shower straight away and the misery is cut down to a minimum.

Original poster
lentilbake · 27/04/2012 20:32

thanks, i think i will leave his lovely locks a abit longer although his brother has just chopped them off one one side while I was on the toilet!

OP posts:
Original poster
lentilbake · 27/04/2012 20:32

it is half way down his back at its longest though!

OP posts:
AgnesDiPesto · 27/04/2012 20:40

We use clippers and actually found some designed for children which are quieter here . DS finds clippers easier to tolerate than scissors. We used desensitisation - initially just turning them on and off and rewarding him e.g. chocolate button, then getting him to hold them - then reward, then putting them near his head, then on his head and built up like that. It took several days to build up and several days to cut it all - then we forget to do it for ages and had to start again. Last time we cut his hair was the best ever, he just let us do the whole thing in one go. You don't have to cut it short, you can use clippers along the end of a comb - or even just use your fingers to hold the hair vaguely in a line and clip along the line of your fingers. His hair is always a bit wonky but better than it used to be when I did have to cut it in his sleep.

Chundle · 27/04/2012 20:50

My dd2 is a total nightmare. However she had her hair cut the other day and sobbed relentlessly BUT as soon as they moved round to do the fringe she stopped suddenly!! She doesn't like people being behind her so I now know although she doesnt like her hair fiddled with she dislikes people standing behind her even more! So perhaps eradicate all other possible reasons he could have for it upsetting him, make sure haircut is done at home in front of tv etc etc and pray its done quickly!

yawningmonster · 29/04/2012 09:59

ok so we have a ds 7 who has had extreme difficulties with this exact problem...
he also has problems with washing or combing hair so for us cutting it very short is the lesser evil as it doesn't need doing as often as above and as a consequence he only washes hair (whispers once a fortnight) and we have never brushed it. So...

  1. Hairdresser was prepped well and truly before we went for the first time, she is very, very experienced and takes whatever he has thrown at her (which in some instances has been literally thrown at her)
  2. We do the deep pressure, we have a pressure blanket on long term loan and he will lie under it for as long as possible before and after having his hair cut.
  3. He wears special little soft ear plugs that cut the noise of the clipper.
  4. It is the only time he is allowed a lollipop so that he keeps his mouth closed around it in order to reduce hair going in his mouth
  5. He wears no shirt and just has the apron as he can absolutely not stand the hair under his shirt but happy on bare skin and will brush self off when finished
  6. We have a signal system for him to tell us that he needs a break (can take over an hour for a buzz cut some days....all I can say is God bless our wonderful hairdresser who still only charges 12 dollars to cut it!!!
  7. Hairdresser uses super quite clippers and we cut it very short...I don't like it very short but it means that we can stretch it out to once a term (is pretty shaggy near the end I must say)
  8. We do a bit of a social set up thing before hand every time...especially touching on whatever was most difficult the last time we had it done (so last time he got hair in his mouth despite the lollipop) He was screaming with his mouth closed (quite an accomplishment) starting hitting out and throwing and completely panicking and all in all we had to abandon the haircut half buzzed as he was unable to be calmed. About to go back and get rest done and have been talking heaps about hair in mouth and what he can do if it happens, he has asked that he have a sipper bottle and small pottle (will use something like an empty yoghurt pot)to spit into to wash it out straight away. This may sound vile to some a small child spitting out at the hairdressers but it is a step in the right direction so that one day he may be able to excuse himself to bathroom to sort out the hair or you never know one day he may just cope with it. For you it maybe a case of taking him to see where he would get it cut or if doing yourself showing him everything involved, let him see and hear it and if safe touch it, try to talk through issues that affect him in particular so if it is sound then talk about ear plugs or finding a quite clipper or what ever will make it easier for him (and you)
Sorry for essay
Triggles · 29/04/2012 11:12

We have just yesterday found a secret weapon regarding the haircut for DS2. We brought along his DS, and he sat fairly quietly and played it the entire time! Usually he is crying and shouting and moving all over the place. He barely noticed the clippers even - and those generally make him VERY upset. Best of all, while he's a bit more wired than usual, he is not having his regular "meltdown weekend" that he usually has after a haircut.

We are thrilled!

Ben10NeverAgain · 29/04/2012 11:32

Well done mini-triggles :)

MrsMagnolia · 29/04/2012 13:30

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

alison222 · 30/04/2012 11:25

Oooh I never thought of the bare chest and only the apron. We always have problems with hair going down the collar as the hairdresser is brilliant but DS always wriggles. This is fantastic - I wonder if they will be OK with me trying that?
Usually he strips off and brushes it away - or if I can persuade/bribe him we get the 5 mins home again and then he strips off.

Ben10NeverAgain · 30/04/2012 11:32

I've ordered those clippers. Thanks Agnes. Fingers crossed!

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