Autism Support Group

Hi everyone. I'm a mom to a 4 1/2 year old with moderate autism. The problem we're having right now is that it's impossible to get his hair cut. Any time he sees a hairdresser, regardless of where, he freaks out. any advice would be appreciated!

This has been a major problem for my four year old as well. As I am sure you know, it's a sensory issue. My husband to this day has to take him and physically restrain him. The truth of the matter is it takes time, patience and a very patient, understanding hairdresser. We went to several and each time it was a nightmare. I even tried cutting it myself when he was asleep!! We finally found a lady who doesn't get irritated or in a hurry and just snips a little at a time and talks him through it. He just saw her for the fourth time and did so much better. All I can offer is to find a good hairdresser and stick with the same person, make sure that the same family member goes to hold him who can handle him and remain calm, and make it the same routine every time. Above all, everyone else must stay calm! Good luck!

Hi

I am shell I ama mum to 6 four have autism

I also have autism

Many children have issues with sensativity on the head

desensatisation may help

also let him know what to expect at the hair dressers by using pecs.visuals and social stories.

Andrew my three yr old has a buzz cut that I do myself. you can do it a little at a time and it lasts a long time between cuts. I also can throw him in the tub after so he is not itchy.

There is no way i could take my son to a professional. He bobs and weaves and shreiks and would probably try to bite a stranger. We get through it with much yelling(on both parts), strategically used headlocks, cartoons for distraction, and much apologizing during and after. A crew cut is probably the easiest to accomplish both by a non professional and on a moving target The buzzing of the clippers bothers him but at least its quick and relatively foolproof. I always finish by going on and on about how handsome he looks with his new haircut. He seems to respond well to compliments and he has finally accepted (a little bit) that we are simply going to do it and to make it as painless as possible. Good Luck!!

My 5 year old son is ok with haircuts as long as they dont spray water or blowdry. My baby girl (24m) is another story! She screams and crys as soon as we walk in to a salon. So no hair cut for her...I do trim her bangs at home. I give her a lollipop and trim as quickly as possible. Then it into the bath tub as well. Good luck,,,,I know how challenging a hair cut can be.

Ugh Haircuts!! When my son was really little we marked a day on the calender. That day was haircut day. We showed him everyday that the haircut was coming and did a lot of preteaching about what was expected during a haircut...not that it did much good. We cut his hair at home and it was an all day affair. We also did a good old fashioned buzz cut. We'd sit him in the chair on my lap. I wrap him in a hug, my husband would do one pass with the clippers, and we'd let him go. Five minutes later we'd do it again, over and over until the haircut is acomplished, or somewhat accomplished. The more we did this the longer he would sit and let us. Getting him accostomed with forcing him went a long way. Flash forward four years and we can not only take him to the barber, we can do fades or a high and tight with out any problems. He still gets tense, but he gets through it just fine. It doesn't hurt that the barber gives him an ice cream after every haircut...the same barber that once refused to cut his hair because of the screams.

Correction...getting him accostomed WITHOUT forcing him, wow that was a bad typo.

We are still cutting my son's hair at home.

I do a lot of explaining up front about how his hair has grown and is too long and needs to be cut.

I do the cutting myself (not a hair dresser), with lots of praise for his (holding still) behavior, lots of reassurance that we'll be done soon, and only while he's doing something else (usually the computer).

Also, I had to relax my standards. I'm not a professional, so as long as it is short enough in front that it's out of his eyes, short enough in the back that its a traditional boy's length, and neither one of us gets cut in the process I call it good enough.

Meanwhile I point out salons, but he's not interested in them yet. I hope he will be someday, but unless that hapens I'll keep cutting it.

Good Luck.

my son is the same way, sadly. he is a lot younger but i found that if i cut his hair its not as traumatic. it doesn't hurt to had them a lolly pop. LOL sorry, thats the only thing that i found helps...