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SN children

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Original poster

how do you cut your childs hair if they have sensory issues.

34 replies

staryeyed · 28/07/2009 15:53

I have been cutting Ds 4 hair in his sleep during his day time nap. Now we have cut the naps for the new melatonin regime. I dont know how I will cut it anymore. What do you do?

OP posts:

dinosaur · 28/07/2009 16:00

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

sc13 · 28/07/2009 16:09

That's the million dollar question in our household too. I'm going to try and do a social story visual board for next time and see how it works. If you have a SALT they can help you put one together. If you have an OT (we don't yet) they're also supposed to have advice about this

troutpout · 28/07/2009 16:24

Do it at night?

We switched to using clippers when ds was about 7 as he could bear snippy scissors near his ears no longer. He still doesn't like the clippers (obviously)...but he can tolerate it if i distract him with a book or something else. We keep it short and do it frequently..as the less frequently i do it, the worse he becomes.

cyberseraphim · 28/07/2009 16:35

Lots of preparation before taking him. Repeat 'Going Haircut, Get Lollypop After Haircut' several million times. He did grow out of the problem so there is hope

dinosaur · 28/07/2009 16:38

This reply has been withdrawn

This has been withdrawn by MNHQ at the poster's request.

Original poster

staryeyed · 28/07/2009 17:02

Ds has very limited understanding so social stories and bribes wont work for DS.

We tried both clippers and scissors but he wont tolerate either.

OP posts:

lingle · 28/07/2009 18:39

haircuts are DS2's least favourite thing in the world.
it was worse last time because I gave him a lolly straight away and hair fell on it and got stuck on it.
But we has mastered hairwashing now ("I not crying, I lean back, I big boy")so I live in hope.

tipsycat · 28/07/2009 19:43

My DS (8) ASD used to have a major issue with hair cutting, he wouldn't sit / stand still, cried, got hysterical, made himself sick.

We found a very sympathetic hairdresser who would give him an appointment when then shop was closed (so no hairdryers on, no noisy & nosy other customers etc) and literally chased him round the shop while cutting his hair. We went every 2 weeks, and eventually he began to improve. After a year or so, we got to the point where I can take him to a regular barbers and he'll sit still in the chair!!!!

Persevere, you'll get there in the end.

anonandlikeit · 28/07/2009 19:44

Quickly

mysonben · 28/07/2009 23:04

Hair cutting is a problem for ds too. He is 3.9 ,asd ,first i never cut his hair unless dh or someone is there to entertain him with a book , a toy,... i'm an ex hairdresser so to my advantge i can cut quick, but to my disavantage i like a good nice haircut and ds will not stop whining, fidgetting and crying on a bad day.
I'm so fed up with the haircut palaver that i 'm now letting his hair grow so he can sport a fancy collar skimming mop!

We have trouble with nail cutting too...arggg!!!

Shells · 29/07/2009 03:07

I do hair and nails when he's in bed asleep at night. Its quite comic - gets over pillow, always a bit uneven etc.

We also had some success watching the Charlie and Lola DVD where Lola doesn't want her haircut. He let me have a bit of a chop chop after that!

There's no way he'd go to hairdressers.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 29/07/2009 07:42

I now take my son to a children's hairdressers at a department store in London. They use the clippers. It works well for us but we have had both had to persevere at it. The staff there are well versed in dealing with children who for example fidget, scream and or have sensory issues.

Found the local hairdressers to me useless particularly when DS was younger; some were very intolerant of his difficulties.

Original poster

staryeyed · 29/07/2009 10:05

Shells how do you cope with the loose hair all over the bed after-doesnt it irritate your ds? Ds hates loose hair on him.

OP posts:

sc13 · 29/07/2009 10:51

Attila Which department store in London - which which which???

glitteryb6 · 29/07/2009 11:04

Ds wouldnt tolerate the barbers and couldnt sit on the chair anyway so i lay him on the bathroom floor and scalp him with rechargeable clippers (no cable if he's thrashing about a bit!)

He used to hate the noise but with a lot of distraction, he quite likes it now as long as i'm quick.

Just did his hair this morning infact, unfortunately the clippers lost their charge just after i had done the sides of his hair so at the moment he is sporting a rather fetching mullett!

5inthebed · 30/07/2009 00:06

We use cordless (rechargeable) clippers on DS2, less noise and vibration, and great for chasing around the house

Goblinchild · 30/07/2009 07:40

Found a lovely local hairdresser who was willing and able to listen and adapt.
Bribed him with cake for afterwards.
Don't want to cast a shadow over your futures, but wait until shaving becomes an issue.

AttilaTheMeerkat · 30/07/2009 08:10

sc13,

Harrods (their childrens hairdressing dept is on the fifth floor).

AttilaTheMeerkat · 30/07/2009 08:13

Another one I've used for DS is "Daisy and Tom" in Chelsea. There's also a new hairdressers for children on the Kings Road called Tantrum which is designed for children of all ages.

mulsey · 30/07/2009 13:12

I found a nice wee hairdresser who would come to the house, and we put the chair in front of whatever dvd is the favourite at that time...and fingers crossed its been working.

sc13 · 30/07/2009 14:54

Thanks!!! Daisy and Tom shut down, didn't they. I've heard of Tantrum, but if you say Harrods are good we'll go there (in Knightsbridge nobody can hear you scream)

marmoset · 31/07/2009 21:50

Two person job - one to wrap ds1 in large towel and talk reassuringly and one to use clippers. It has got much easier in last couple of years but it is a bit of a grit the teeth and get on with it jobs. Photo albums show ds1 with a wide variety of hair lengths depending on state of parental willpower at any point in time

Phoenix4725 · 01/08/2009 06:56

we spent months just going in our very understanding barbers to play with large box of toys he keeps in there.
And stage by stage have got to point where he will let him cut his hair , but no hairdryers or clippers and we tend to go in at lunchtime or prearrange it so ds does not have to wait and none turns hairdryer on while ds is in their after he almost fell out chair in fright

mimsum · 01/08/2009 09:58

staryeyed - if you're anywhere near Clapham, Sally on Northcote Road is brilliant with small (and not so small) children - she's also very quick!

Both ds1 and ds2 hated having their hair cut with a passion - ds1 used to scream the entire way through and more than one haircut was abandoned mid-way ... however, they've both gradually grown out of it

having the same person do it every time really helped, as did watching a dvd and lolly afterwards

bubblagirl · 01/08/2009 10:03

my ds hates hair done we found in bath was fab scissor cutting it as i could rinse hair straight off him and work as quick as i can it gradually got a bit uneven so i really upset him and whipped it all off with clippers to amke all one length again so i can again scissor cut it so it doesn't get a chance to get so long again

ds hates the sound and feel of clippers so its a once in a blue moon thing scissors in bath work great he hates the feel of hair on his skin

saw this and thought this could be great help for that

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